Council of Community Services Announces Opening of Drop-In Center North Location

The Council of Community Services Drop-In Center is opening a second location at 2328 Williamson Road. The new location will be a satellite office to the existing Roanoke Drop-In Center at 356 Campbell Avenue.

The Williamson Road office will open its doors on January 13, 2020, and will provide access to all services available at the Roanoke Drop-In Center, including HIV and Hepatitis C Rapid Testing, linkage to HIV and HCV care and support, Service Navigation, prevention services, and comprehensive harm reduction.

Drop-In Center North will also offer access to syringe services. On August 5, 2019, the Council of Community Services was approved to perform Comprehensive Harm Reduction Services in the City of Roanoke. Employing a hybrid model, the Drop-In Center North will provide intakes, testing and service navigation onsite, while the actual “syringe exchange” will be conducted off-site, on predetermined days/times and locations utilizing a mobile health unit.

The Drop-In Center has successfully provided HIV and Hepatitis prevention, testing and coordination of care since 2004. Under Virginia Department of Health funding, the Drop-In Center launched a Comprehensive Harm Reduction Pilot program in 2014 focusing on harm reduction skills building, HIV/HCV testing, linkage to care/support services, and supply harm reduction supplies (i.e. wound care/safer injection kits, overdose prevention education, condoms, field guides) to those at highest risk for contracting or transmitting HIV and/or Hepatitis C.

This is another component of a multi-disciplinary, best practices model grounded in expertise and collaborative efforts.