FLASH
FLorida Access to Syringe and Health
services exchange
The purpose of FLASH is to provide syringe exchange services to any person who uses syringes, provide harm reduction and other services to people who use drugs (PWUD), and reduce the spread of infectious diseases in Palm Beach County.
Rebel is one of the few hybrid Recovery Community Organizations in the United States because we offer syringe and harm reduction services alongside recovery support services.
We understand that drug use is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that encompasses a continuum of behaviors from severe use to total abstinence.
Services Include
- One-to-one syringe exchange services
- Referral to care for substance use disorder treatment services
- Linkage to Peer Recovery Support Services
- Navigation of supportive community resources
- Trainings and materials on risk reduction
- Naloxone training and distribution
- Confidential HIV/Hepatitis C screening
- Anonymous HIV Self Testing/ Take home kits
- Immediate linkage to HIV support and treatment services
- Educational materials and Trainings about HIV, HCV, and other infectious diseases
- Basic wound care (see site schedule)
- Referrals to community health providers
Where can you find us?
Background
Opening on 04/01/2021, FLASH Exchange is the product of years of public advocacy, resulting in a collaborative effort between Rebel Recovery Florida and University of Miami. The program is made possible by the Infectious Disease Elimination Act (IDEA) of 2016 and the Infectious Disease Elimination Programs Act of 2019, which creates a mechanism for Counties in Florida to authorize legal syringe exchange programs.
The primary goal of the FLASH Exchange is to provide harm reduction and sterile syringe exchange services to people who use drugs (PWUD), an underserved population that includes many individuals experiencing homelessness and others living below the federal poverty level. Services will include the exchange of sterile syringes for used ones (i.e., one-to-one exchange, negotiated exchange, etc.); free anonymous and/or confidential HIV and HCV testing; intensive linkage to HIV & HCV treatment services and participant tailored patient navigation; referrals to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services, SUD recovery support services, community Naloxone distribution, and basic wound care.
The FLASH Exchange does not receive any municipal, county, state, or federal funding, and will use various grants and individual charitable contributions to operate. This funding will allow the program to meet the basic needs of the community as well as expand services to include a Wound Care Clinic. The FLASH Exchange maintains a variety of partnerships including those with the Florida Department of Health, Palm Beach County Health Care District, Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network, University of Miami, IDEA Exchange and Palm Beach County Medical Society. These partnerships allow the Exchange to connect participants with services such as drug rehabilitation as well as HIV and HCV treatment.