Regulation .05 Program Design and Operation.
Regulation .05 Program Design and Operation.LinkCopy Citation
A.
The CBO or local health department approved to operate an OADPO program:
(1)
Shall provide protocols for the safety and security of OADPO program locations, equipment, and staff in accordance with Regulation .06 of this chapter that:
(a)
Control the dissemination of hypodermic needles and syringes; and
(b)
Allow for a full accounting of the number of hypodermic needles and syringes managed by the program;
(2)
Shall offer participants:
(a)
Overdose prevention education;
(b)
Access to or a referral to obtain naloxone; and
(c)
Harm reduction education;
(3)
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff have:
(a)
Appropriate levels of expertise in working with individuals who inject drugs;
(b)
Knowledge of harm reduction strategies; and
(c)
Skills in implementing harm reduction strategies;
(4)
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff receive training approved by the Department to work with injection drug users and to provide referrals to:
(a)
Community services;
(b)
Counseling; and
(c)
Preventative education;
(5)
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff demonstrate sensitivity to participant differences including:
(a)
Cultural;
(b)
Behavioral; and
(c)
Values;
(6)
Shall ensure that information collected to identify OADPO program participants is kept confidential according to:
(a)
Health-General Article, §24-906(b), Annotated Code of Maryland; and
(b)
42 CFR Part 2;
(7)
Shall ensure that there is a method of identification and authorization for OADPO program staff members who have access to:
(a)
Hypodermic needles;
(b)
Syringes; and
(c)
OADPO program records;
(8)
Shall develop and provide a protocol for linking participants to:
(a)
Substance abuse treatment services;
(b)
Testing for:
(i)
HIV;
(ii)
Viral hepatitis; and
(iii)
STIs;
(c)
Reproductive health services;
(d)
Wound care; and
(e)
Naloxone;
(9)
Shall disseminate hypodermic needles or syringes and other preventive means for curtailing the spread of HIV and viral hepatitis at no cost to participants, including but not limited to:
(a)
Injection supplies; and
(b)
Safer sex supplies; and
(10)
May not discriminate against participants based on factors including but not limited to:
(a)
Culture;
(b)
Language;
(c)
Ability;
(d)
Socioeconomic status;
(e)
Sexual orientation;
(f)
Gender identity;
(g)
Age;
(h)
Religion;
(i)
Race; and
(j)
Ethnicity.
B.
Identification Card. OADPO program staff shall:
(1)
Give each participant an identification card that includes the participant’s OADPO program identification number;
(2)
Advise participants to carry the identification card with them at all times; and
(3)
If the identification card is lost by a participant, re-issue an identification card to the participant.
C.
The CBO or local health department approved to operate an OADPO program may offer other services to OADPO program participants, including:
(1)
Testing for:
(a)
HIV;
(b)
Viral hepatitis; and
(c)
STIs;
(2)
Wound care;
(3)
Reproductive health services; and
(4)
Substance abuse counseling, treatment, and recovery services.