JAY — The Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County is applying to the state to become a certified syringe service program in the county.

The coalition, doing business as MaineHealth/Franklin Community Health Network, is applying to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for services at Healthy Community Coalition’s office in Farmington on set days and monthly at designated remote sites in Jay and Strong using its Mobile Health Unit.

The community-based prevention programs provide a range of services, including connection to substance use disorder treatment; access to and disposal of sterile syringes and injection equipment; and vaccination, testing, and connection to care and treatment for infectious diseases. Over the past several years, Maine has witnessed a dramatic increase in injection drug use, according Lavoie.

“As a consequence, drug overdose deaths, as well as risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted diseases are increasing,” Lavoie wrote in a letter to the Select Board. “In March 2023 alone there were 16 suspected overdose incidents in Franklin County and there have been recent reports of syringe littering in our communities throughout the county.”

Syringe services programs help prevent transmission of blood-borne infections, help stop substance use and help protect public safety.

There are 18 sites in Maine, LeeAnna Lavoie, director of the Heathly Community Coalition in Farmington, said.

The coalition has a mobile unit that provides some recovery materials for people with substance use disorder but it does not give out clean needles or take used needles.

The certified syringe service program does not promote drug use but does give people access to harm reduction services, she said.

There is nearly 30 years of research showing the evidence of harm reduction. The intent is to help reduce overdose deaths and help people get into recovery. It does not increase drug use, representatives said.

One problem is a high rate of infection because people are using the same needles or sharing needles, Dr. Kristen Mazoki said. Those who get infections go to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

The hospital has 65 beds but intends to apply for Critical Access Hospital status, reducing the number to 25. There are other beds considered observation and not included in the number. On average, the patient census uses 25 to 27 beds.

“Substance use (disorder) is really a problem in this community,” Mazoki said.

She said she has seen how the program works and people are taking the steps to get into recovery.

Sgt. Ryan Close of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Healthy Community Coalition. He worked most of his career in southern Maine and said he was surprised when he came to Franklin County that dispatchers send police to handle situations that typically a different resource worker covered in his law enforcement experience.

They respond nearly daily to reports of syringes being found on the side of road, in parks and playgrounds, mostly where people gather.

The program would give a place for people to bring used syringes, not only for drug use but other medical use such as diabetes.

The coalition offers other harm reduction materials, not just syringes, Ashley McCarthy, a program coordinator for the coalition. The health unit not only gives people resources, it also opens the door for people to talk.

Close said the coalition does “an incredible job.”

“It doesn’t bring more crime,” McCarthy said.

The Sheriff’s Office supports more people getting clean, Close said. There is less crime when that happens, he said.

McCarthy said she would like to have the mobile unit set up in a discreet location.

“Not everyone wants to be seen going into a mobile heath unit,” she said.