One of Bangor’s two syringe service providers is moving to a new, larger location after seeing need for its services skyrocket in the last year.
Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness will move its harm reduction services to 304 Hancock St. in Bangor in early May, according to Lisa Sockabasin, co-CEO of the nonprofit. The organization’s harm reduction services are now based in a suite at 157 Park St., next to where Wicked Brew once sat.
The suites that Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness will move into last held the Bangor Health Equity Alliance before the organization closed its community center, halted its syringe exchange and furloughed most of its staff late last year. HEAL used to distribute the most needles in Penobscot County but is no longer a state certified syringe provider.
Moving Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness’ syringe services to a larger space roughly a mile away was necessary for two reasons, Sockabasin said. First, the organization has seen a surge in the number of needles it distributes and collects since HEAL shuttered its syringe exchange in November 2024.
The nonprofit now collects roughly 20,000 used syringes and distributes around 14,000 each month, according to Jayson Hunt, the organization’s director of recovery outreach and community resources.
In March 2024, the organization took in only 200 syringes, Hunt said.
The purpose of giving those who inject drugs sterile syringes is to reduce the likelihood that people will reuse or share needles, which can spread bloodborne diseases, such as HIV. Collecting used needles also cuts down on syringe litter and ensures contaminated materials are disposed of safely.
Organizations that provide these services are critical at a time when Penobscot County is experiencing an HIV outbreak that has already seen 23 people test positive since October 2023. By comparison, the county previously saw an average of two new HIV diagnoses each year, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to needing more space because of the growing demand for harm reduction services, Sockabasin said those who live and work around the organization’s current syringe exchange expressed concerns about the service being there and noticed an increase in the number of clients it serves.
“If people are coming to us because they’re concerned and have stories to share with us that highlight their concerns, we want to hold space for them and their stories,” Sockabasin said. “We explored the question, ‘Is this the right space for us?’ and it wasn’t, so we found the right space.”
While it’s unfortunate that HEAL doesn’t offer syringe services, especially as the HIV outbreak continues in the region, Sockabasin said moving into the organization’s previous location is good for clients because many are already familiar with the building.
In addition to sterile syringes, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness distributes other supplies intended to keep people engaged in risky behaviors safe, such as condoms, wound care supplies and naloxone, which reverses the effects of a drug overdose.
It’s unclear whether Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness’ other services, such as case management and peer-run recovery support, will also move into the Hancock Street location, Sockabasin said.