Work Essentials

OR EMAILS. IN AUGUSTA I’M JACKIE MUNDRY FOR MAINES TOTAL COVERAGE AUGUSTA – IS THE LATEST CITY CONSIDERING A “NEEDLE BUYBACK” PROGRAM. THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE PILOT PROGRAM PORTLAND IS GETTING READY TO BEGIN – AND TODAY CATE MCCUSKER SAT DOWN WITH THE CITY COUNCILOR WHO HOPES TO BRING IT TO AUGUSTA. 00;02;45;07 – 00;03;10;26 “THESE THINGS ARE PILING UP OUT IN THE PUBLIC AREAS AND THEY’RE NOT GETTING PICKED UP. ” AFTER THE PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL PASSED A NEEDLE BUYBACK PROGRAM LAST MONTH – KEVIN JUDKINS SUGGESTED A SIMILAR EFFORT TO THE AUGUSTA CITY COUNCIL. 00;00;47;27 – 00;01;31;20 COUNCILOR KEVIN JUDKINS “IN ADDITION TO THEM EXCHANGING A NEEDLE WITH SOMEBODY, IF THEY COULD MAYBE THEN GIVE THEM LIKE A FIVE CENT DEPOSIT OR $0.05 ON THE NEEDLE THEY BROUGHT BACK.” HE SAYS THE CITY COULD PARTNER WITH EXISTING NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND OFFER A MONETARY INCENTIVE USING OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO CLEAN UP THE NEEDLES OFF THE STREETS. 00;02;01;02 – 00;02;25;03 “AND HOPEFULLY IF IF PEOPLE CAN PUT A LITTLE DOLLARS IN THEIR POCKET TO BUY A LUNCH OR WHATEVER, THAT THEY MIGHT BE MORE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT PICKING UP THEIR NEEDLES” JUDKINS USED TO OWN A BOTTLE REDEMPTION CENTER – AND HE SAYS A SIMILAR PROGRAM WAS HELPFUL IN CLEANING UP THAT LITTER IN THE AREA. 00;04;26;10 – 00;04;55;00 “SO IT KIND OF STRUCK ME AS IS, YOU KNOW, IT WORKED. THE BOTTLE LAW HAS ACTUALLY WORKED. I REMEMBER AS A YOUNGER PERSON GROWING UP AND SEEING LOTS OF THOSE, THAT TYPE OF LITTER AROUND OUR STREETS, AND WE DON’T SEE IT ANYWHERE NEAR AS MUCH ANYMORE” MAINEGENERAL IS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS CURRENTLY OFFERING A SYRINGE SERVICE PROGRAM IN THE CITY – AND THEY SAY IT WORKS TO MINIMIZE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE USE. WHILE THEY HAVE NOT YET REVIEWED THE CITY COUNCIL’S PLAN – THEY SAY ACCORDING TO THE CDC – NEEDLE EXCHANGES HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF DISEASES AND DECREASE THE NUMBER OF SYRINGES IN PUBLIC SPACES. JUDKINS SAYS THE COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO DISCU