Syringe Services

Syringe Exchange

The Needle Exchange program aims to protect public safety and community health by reducing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C due to people sharing syringes.

The program works to keep sterile syringes accessible so that those who inject drugs or hormones do not feel a need to share their syringes and risk becoming infected with HIV, HCV, or another blood borne disease. Please see our Harm Reduction Philosophy below for concerns about the efficacy of syringe exchange.

Syringe Exchange for People who Inject Drugs

We provide syringe exchange services for people who inject drugs. We provide new needles and accept used syringes for disposal. We are a one for one exchange and have safer injection kits available for clients who don’t have used needles to exchange. We provide sharps containers and safer injection supplies as funding allows, including alcohol wipes, cottons and bandaids. We have a wound care doctor available and provide overdose prevention kits.

We hold the exchange in Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Cottage Grove, Brookings, and more. Please see our calendar to the right for needle exchange times and locations.

The Mission of HIV Alliance’s Needle Exchange is to:

  • Stop the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C
  • Increase access to health care, drug treatment and detox for people who inject drugs
  • Decrease the presence of contaminated syringes in the local community.

Our Approach to Treatment

We look to support the health of people who inject drugs, as well as their families and sexual partners. Many find that quitting drugs improves their lives, BUT, this does not work for everyone, and it is an individual decision. We do not push people to get into treatment. We help those who choose to do so by giving referrals, advocacy, and counseling on the issue. All services are confidential.

Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) Syringe Exchange Program

The GAHT syringe exchange program provides trans and gender diverse people with free injection supplies which include injection/drawing needles, syringes, alcohol pads, adhesive bandages, and sharps containers, and sharps disposal. These services are available on a walk-in basis at our Queer Resource Center located at 1185 Arthur St. Eugene 97402. For people located in other counties, please contact your local HIV Alliance office about supply availability and GAHT exchange service times.

If you live in Lane County within Eugene and Springfield city limits and are experiencing financial and transportation barriers, GAHT injection supplies can be delivered via TransPonder’s injection supply delivery program found here.

Free HIV testing is available. See our testing page for details.

Syringe Pick-Up

Community Syringe Drop-box Sites

Syringe Pick-up Safety

If you come across a used syringe in our community or any other public place, do not touch it!

The syringe may be used and could be carrying viruses that can cause hepatitis C, HIV, or other blood borne diseases. If you are in Eugene or Roseburg, email HIV Alliance and we will send staff who are trained in syringe pick-up and the necessary precautions.

If possible, stay around the site until staff can arrive and encourage others to avoid touching the syringe as well.

Need someone to come pick up a used syringe? Email prevention@allianceor.org.

While we do our best to reduce and eliminate used syringes in our community, it’s impossible to be 100% successful. If there are no syringe pick-up services near you, you can follow the steps below. Keep in mind, these are safe strategies for adults only. If you are underage, find an adult and let them know of the hazard.

To pick up syringes safely, remember:

  • wear needle-stick safe gloves
  • use a tool to pick up the syringe(s)
  • place the syringe in a sharps container (make sure sharp container is resting on level surface, not in your hand!)
  • Secure lid to sharps container
  • Contact HIV Alliance or take it to a dump

Naloxone

HIV Alliance provides certified training and naloxone to syringe exchange clients, first responders, and the general public. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a life-saving drug that can prevent or reverse an opioid overdose.

The drug has to be administered as soon as overdose symptoms begin and its effects are almost immediate, restoring respiration to a person whose breathing has either slowed or stopped due to heroin or prescription opioid pain medications, by blocking and reversing the brain’s opioid receptor.

The drug comes in several forms. Click here for an online training on injectable naloxone and nasal spray.

For information on and to schedule a community overdose prevention (naloxone) training, contact HIV Alliance Prevention Manager Dane Zahner at prevention@allianceor.org.

Harm Reduction Philosophy

Harm Reduction is a public health philosophy that seeks to empower individuals, remove barriers to accessing the support that they need, and supply pragmatic approaches to risk reduction in a non-judgmental/non-coercive way that is compassionate and accepting of any positive change. Harm Reduction supports a wide spectrum of strategies from doing the behavior more safely, to limiting certain behaviors, to abstinence. HIV Alliance is a member of harm reduction focused groups across our service region, including the Harm Reduction Coalition of Lane County.

Principles of Harm Reduction include:

  • Meeting the client where they are, using programs designed for the community being served.
  • Non-judgmental and non-coercive services are provided to clients in the communities and places where they are comfortable and safe in order to empower them to reduce the attendant harm.
  • Accepts that drug use is part of our world and chooses to work to minimize its harmful effects on the people using drugs, rather than ignore or condemn those individuals.
  • Understands that drug use and behavior change are complex and multifaceted. They include a continuum of behaviors from severe abuse to total abstinence.
  • It acknowledges that some drug use methods are safer than others, and respects each individual’s drug use choices.
  • Ensures that people who inject drugs and those with a history of drug use routinely have a real voice in the creation of programs and policies designed to serve them.
  • Affirms that people who inject drugs are the primary agents responsible for reducing the harm from their drug use, and seeks to empower them to support each other and share information.
  • Recognizes that the realities of poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based discrimination and other social inequities affect both people’s vulnerability to and capacity for dealing with drug-related harm.
  • Does not attempt to minimize or ignore the real or tragic harm and dangers associated with licit and illicit drug use.

Despite evidence from many studies that syringe exchange programs are highly cost-effective ways to prevent HIV and have not been found to increase drug use, harm reduction programs continue to be heavily contested here in the US and around the world. On a global basis, about $100 billion is spent annually on the war on drugs.

Research by Harm Reduction International indicates that if even as little as 7.5% of this $100 billion is redirected to harm reduction programs, by 2030 there would be 94% fewer new HIV infections among people who inject drugs.

HIV Alliance is the only agency providing comprehensive syringe exchange programs in Lane, Douglas, and Josephine Counties, but we need your help to continue doing so. Please consider making a small donation today.

With each dollar, we are able to purchase 10 new syringes. It truly makes a difference. Click here and be the difference!

 

Needle Exchange Locations & Schedules

Lane County

Eugene Office

1195 City View St., Eugene, OR 97402

NEX Times

Mondays from 10am-2pm
Tuesdays from 10am-2pm
Fridays from 12pm-4pm

ShelterCare

499 W. 4th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401

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Mondays from 6-7:30pm

Cottage Grove

The Center for Recovery
75 S. 5th St., Cottage Grove, OR 97424

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Tuesdays from 5:30-7pm

White Bird Medical Clinic

247 Polk Street, Eugene, OR 97402

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Tuesdays from 2-4pm

Highway 99

450 Hwy. 99 (Lindholm Center Parking Lot), Eugene, OR 97402

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Thursdays from 1pm-3pm

Springfield

South 18th and A, Springfield, OR 97477

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Thursdays from 6-7:30pm

Oakridge

Orchid Health

47815 OR-58, Oakridge, OR 97463

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Thursdays from 12-4pm

Marion County

Salem Office

3886 Beverly Ave., Building I, Suite 6, Salem, OR 97305

NEX Times

Mondays from 3pm - 7pm
Wednesdays from 3pm - 7pm

Great Circle Recovery

1011 Commercial St. NE, Salem OR 97301

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Tuesdays from 1pm - 3pm
Fridays from 10am - 12pm

Douglas County

Roseburg Office

647 W. Luellen Dr, Suite 103, Roseburg, OR 97471

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Mondays from 11am-4pm
Tuesdays from 11am-4pm
Wednesdays from 11am-4pm
Thursdays from 4-7pm
Fridays from 11am-4pm

Glendale

AllCare Clinic
101 1st St, Glendale, OR 97442

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Thursdays from 1-3pm

Josephine County

Grants Pass

Newman United Methodist Church
132 NE B St, Grants Pass, OR 97526

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Mondays from 12-4pm
Tuesdays from 12-4pm
Wednesdays from 12-4pm
Thursdays from 12-4pm
Fridays from 12-4pm

Cave Junction

Immanuel United Methodist
200 West Watkins St, Cave Junction, OR 97523

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Tuesdays from 12-3pm

Wolf Creek

Parking Lot
420 Old State Hwy 99 S, Wolf Creek, OR 97497

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Tuesdays from 1-3pm

Coos County

Coos Bay

Harmony United Methodist Church
123 Ocean Blvd SE, Coos Bay, OR 97420

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Tuesdays from 2-4pm

Coos Bay

Coos Health and Wellness
281 Laclair St., Coos Bay, OR 97459

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Wednesdays from 2:30-4:30pm

Bandon

Coast Community Health Center
1010 1st Street SE #110
Bandon, OR 97411

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Thursdays from 8-10am

Curry County

Brookings

Coast Community Health Center
648 Chetco Ave., Brookings, OR 97415

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Fridays from 12-3pm

Port Orford

Coast Community Health
1332 Tichenor Ave
Port Orford, OR 97465

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Thursdays from 2-4pm

Port Orford

Port Orford Library
1421 Oregon Street
Port Orford, OR 97465

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Thursdays from 11am-1pm

Washington County

Beaverton

12375 SW 5th St.
Beaverton, OR 97005

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Mondays from 2-4pm

Hillsboro

Project Homeless Connect>

363 SE 6th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123

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Wednesdays from 11am-12pm

Dairy Creek Park

515 SW 17th Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97123

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Wednesdays from 1-4pm

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