Street Outreach Services (SOS)

• AIDS Vancouver Island’s Street Outreach Services (SOS) provide services for people who use drugs by injection. The program is a core component of AVI’s responsibility to contain HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and other communicable diseases. SOS services are provided in Victoria, Courtenay, Campbell River, and in Port Hardy.

• SOS offers needle exchange and health promotion/harm reduction information in addition to relevant programming and a drop-in.
• Anonymous HIV, Hep C, Pregnancy and STD testing is provided on-site by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) Street Nurse Program.  Vaccinations, referrals and other services are also available.
• AVI’s Health Promotion team has developed HIV and hep C prevention programs targeted to this population, and provides regular workshops and peer education sessions.
• SOS ensures accessible needle disposal for users by providing syringe drop boxes and teams of volunteer “rig diggers” who patrol the area surrounding the exchange and collecting abandoned syringes and related paraphernalia.
  
  

  VICTORIA NEEDLE EXCHANGE UPDATE

  As of June 1, 2008, Street Outreach Services in Victoria is operating this service as mobile. This is an interim solution until AVI can find a new location out of which to offer this service.

  The AVI Mobile Nx Code of conduct (May 2008) is available in pdf here.

  For more information please read: Needle Exchange Programs Q&A and Mobile Needle Exchange Q&A.

  For information 9am-5pm Mon-Thurs or Fridays 9am-1pm, call (250) 384-2366.

AVI-X Harm Reduction Services

Foot Outreach downtown:
Monday to Friday * 3pm to 9:30pm
Saturday * 10:30am to 5:30pm
Sunday * 1pm-5pm

Mobile Van will be parked on Princess between Government and Douglas:
Monday to Friday * 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Saturday * 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Sundays * 5pm - 9pm

SOS teams work from 3:30 until 10:30pm Monday through Saturday and from 5pm to 9pm on Sunday.

For information on how to access services, please call 250-896-AVIX (2849) during these hours.

OTHER AGENCIES WHO OFFER NEEDLE EXCHANGE

VARCS Mobile X
P: 250-888-4487
Mon – Fri * 9am - 2:45pm

SOLID
Mon - Sun * 7am -9am
*Peer-driven needle exchange on foot.
Phone: 250-298-9497

Y-Van Youth Outreach
P: 857-1173 & 857-1179
Mon – Thurs * 1pm-10pm
Sun * 5pm-10pm

PEERS RV Outreach
On the stroll.
Mon – Sun * 9pm - 1am

VIHA Street Nurses
P: 361-7056 / 818-3373
Monday—Friday
* On the street and at different agencies.

Cool Aid Health Clinic
465 Swift Street
Mon. - Tues * 9am-6pm
Wed. - Thurs * 9am – 8pm
Friday * 9am-3pm