Increasing safe syringe collection sites in New York State.

This article describes expansion of options for safe syringe collection in New York State (NYS) in conjunction with efforts to enhance and expand access to hypodermic needles and syringes. Together with activities to educate the public and providers about the dangers of improperly disposed of syringes, the goals were to (1) develop community-based collection sites for individuals to safely dispose of used syringes and (2) improve accessibility of existing health-care facility-based collection sites. During the period of 2002 to 2006, 79 community-based collection sites were created.

Early results of a statewide initiative to involve faith communities in HIV prevention.

In the United States, racial/ethnic health disparities persist across all leading health indicators. In 2005, African Americans accounted for half of all HIV/AIDS cases, but only 12 percent of the US population was African American. Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the New York State Department of Health, AIDS Institute recognized the importance of faith communities' involvement in HIV prevention.