Executive Director, Citiwide Harm Reduction

In Daliah Heller's line of work, you lose a lot of people. But the statistics regarding needle exchange programs reflect the sobering fact that without Citiwide Harm Reduction's presence, New York City would lose a lot more. In 1992, New York State legalized needle exchange and Citiwide Harm Reduction opened its doors. At that time, 50% of IV drug users were H.I.V. positive. In 2000, the percentage among users had dropped drastically to 15%. Treating an H.I.V. positive person without healthcare costs $90,000-125,000 a year in public money, making syringe exchange not only a health issue but a significant economic one as well.

Armed with an M.P.H. from Columbia University, Daliah arrived at Citiwide with a staff of four and a budget of $200,000. In less than a decade her budget has soared to $2.1 million and her staff is now 32. Daliah created a space where the whole person—not just the drug user—would be treated. In addition to providing clean needles to addicts in exchange for their used, possibly infected ones she began to build a base of services that took Citiwide into an entirely new realm. Citiwide is also the only needle exchange operating in Single Room Occupancy hotels in the city. Daliah didn't only want to change the numbers; she wanted to change the quality of life for her clients.

With Daliah's assistance, Citiwide has come a long way and has the potential to go even further. Not one to rest on her laurels, Daliah will continue her innovative leadership while pursuing her Ph.D. at Hunter College.