November 04, 2010
The Street Nurses Go to New York
By
Fiona Gold
New York and bright city lights, Bevel Up and roaring subways, honking cars and matzo ball soup… And of course drug policy and harm reduction…..We arrived in New York last week to launch the Centre for Health , Media and Policy, a centre set up to look at the role media plays in shaping popular health care beliefs and policy. Bevel Up, Drugs, Users and Outreach Nursing illustrated how film media could be used to advocate for innovate drug policy and health care reform. Our very gracious nurse hosts Barbara Glickstein and Diana Mason, co-directors of the new Centre arranged a wonderful week. (These lovely women -mavericks for change, co-produce/host a radio show called Healthstyles on WBAI.org 99.5FM.)
Monday Oct. 25th, 2010
We began with the Centre’s opening event and screening of a small piece of Bevel Up. For us, sitting on a panel of New Yorkers trying to make change, it was an opportunity to start to dialogue and to understand the issues they are facing in their work. They told us New York has 900 fatal drug overdoses per year and these numbers did not include those contracting HIV, dying of sepsis or endocarditis. They also shared their frustration that the police (NYPD) are not at the table in these health discussions. And the former user shared her stories about mandated treatment and how disempowering it was for her to have to choose between treatment and jail. A youth advocate shared the stigma youth face….and the media listened!
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2010
Yikes my nose is being powdered for TV…..tbc.
Tag(s):
Harm Reduction,
health promotion,
Health/Health Advocacy,
Social Justice
Recent Blogs by Fiona Gold:
|
 |
Opt into our network
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Read our blog
