Social Work Commons^™

Local Policy Stakeholder Attitudes About Implementing And Sustaining Needle Exchange Programs In The Inland Empire, Katarina Kucavikova-Fillippelli

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes of local policy stakeholders in regards to needle exchange programs (NEPs), focusing on Riverside Council Members to conduct face-to-face interviews using nine closed and open-ended questions. The majority are opposed to implenting NEP's in their ward. Additionally, the majority of participants are opposed to the idea of harm reduction approach with intravenous drug users. This study may be helpful to anyone attempting to establish NEPs in Riverside in designing a public relations campaign that would effectively address the stigma associated with intravenous drug use, HIV/AIDS and needle exchange services.