Syringe Services

This News Brief describes the need for harm reduction and treatment services in rural areas for people who use psychostimulants and how those services can be provided by the opioid treatment program

There are safe ways to dispose of syringes you find on the ground. Sharing injection drug equipment can transmit infections, but there is little risk to someone who is accidentally poked or scratched by a discarded syringe. Below you'll find information on how to pick them up, where to drop them off, and ways to get involved in cleaning up your neighborhood.

The current study examined the accuracy of sensory discernment strategies by measuring study participants’ descriptions of the last opioid injected and checked with a fentanyl test strip (FTS) by that test's positive/negative result. The primary objective was to determine associations between FTS results and descriptions of the illi it opioid's physical appearance and physiological effects.

This technical package provides evidence of the effectiveness of strategies and approaches for supporting successful planning, design, implementation, and sustainability of syringe services programs (SSPs). It provides a broad framework for new and existing SSPs to ensure needs-based service delivery, reduce harms related to injection drug use, and link participants to services that support their health and wellness.

Law is an important factor in the diffusion of syringe services programs (SSPs). This study measures the current status of, and 5-year change in, state laws governing SSP operations and possession of syringes by participants

Syringe service programs (SSPs), which provide access to sterile syringes and other injection equipment and their safe disposal after use,* represent a highly successful human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention. SSPs are associated with a 58% reduction in the incidence of HIV infection among persons who inject drugs. In addition, SSPs have led efforts to prevent opioid overdose deaths by integrating evidence-based opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs. OEND programs train laypersons to respond during overdose events and provide access to naloxone and directions for drug delivery. SSPs are ideal places for OEND because they provide culturally relevant services designed to reach persons at high risk for experiencing or observing an opioid overdose.

This guide was created for harm reduction medical staff and volunteers as a resource about the types of wounds common with injection drug use and also to increase knowledge about treatment modalities for this population. Skin and soft-tissue infections are the most common cause of hospitalization among people who inject drugs.

The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Regional Health Administrators presented a webinar series highlighting resources, policies, and assistance for developing and expanding SSPs in diverse settings and in different communities across the country, the three webinars were held in 2019.

Harm Reduction Coalition is a national advocacy and capacity-building organization that works to promote the health and dignity of individuals and communities who are impacted by drug use.

Reports between 1991 and 1997 found clean needle programs reduce HIV transmission, and none found that clean needle programs caused rates of drug use to increase.