The CBO or local health department approved to operate an OADPO program:
Shall provide protocols for the safety and security of OADPO program locations, equipment, and staff in accordance with Regulation .06 of this chapter that:
Control the dissemination of hypodermic needles and syringes; and
Allow for a full accounting of the number of hypodermic needles and syringes managed by the program;
Shall offer participants:
Overdose prevention education;
Access to or a referral to obtain naloxone; and
Harm reduction education;
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff have:
Appropriate levels of expertise in working with individuals who inject drugs;
Knowledge of harm reduction strategies; and
Skills in implementing harm reduction strategies;
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff receive training approved by the Department to work with injection drug users and to provide referrals to:
Community services;
Counseling; and
Preventative education;
Shall ensure that all OADPO program staff demonstrate sensitivity to participant differences including:
Cultural;
Behavioral; and
Values;
Shall ensure that information collected to identify OADPO program participants is kept confidential according to:
Health-General Article, §24-906(b), Annotated Code of Maryland; and
42 CFR Part 2;
Shall ensure that there is a method of identification and authorization for OADPO program staff members who have access to:
Hypodermic needles;
Syringes; and
OADPO program records;
Shall develop and provide a protocol for linking participants to:
Substance abuse treatment services;
Testing for:
HIV;
Viral hepatitis; and
STIs;
Reproductive health services;
Wound care; and
Naloxone;
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:
Injection supplies; and
Safer sex supplies; and
May not discriminate against participants based on factors including but not limited to:
Culture;
Language;
Ability;
Socioeconomic status;
Sexual orientation;
Gender identity;
Age;
Religion;
Race; and
Ethnicity.
Identification Card. OADPO program staff shall:
Give each participant an identification card that includes the participant’s OADPO program identification number;
Advise participants to carry the identification card with them at all times; and
If the identification card is lost by a participant, re-issue an identification card to the participant.
The CBO or local health department approved to operate an OADPO program may offer other services to OADPO program participants, including:
Testing for:
HIV;
Viral hepatitis; and
STIs;
Wound care;
Reproductive health services; and
Substance abuse counseling, treatment, and recovery services.