Syringe service programs are community-based public health programs.
They provide critical services in nonjudgmental environments to people who use syringes. Services include:
- Sterile injecting supplies
- Safe syringe disposal (PDF)
- Access to healthcare, treatment, and support.
DOH supports Syringe Service Programs (PDF) because they protect and improve the health of individuals and communities.
Are Syringe Service Programs legal?
Syringe exchange, syringe sales, and syringe distribution in Washington State are legal. A jurisdiction's health officer can authorize a syringe service program, or an independent organization can operate one. Washington State allows distribution of syringes through:
- Public health
- Community based HIV prevention programs
- Pharmacies
Information on legal grounds:
- Washington State Supreme Court ruling in Spokane County Health District v. Brockett
- Subsection (3) of RCW 69.50.4121
How do I find a program?
There are syringe service programs in 26 counties. You can locate SSPs in your area. Use our Syringe Service Program Directory and search by county and by Accountable Community of Health.
Learn about the evidence base for Syringe Service Programs through a list of public health research and guidance published since 2007. This resource is searchable by topic, author, and year.
What services can I get at a Syringe Service program?
Syringe service programs are community-based prevention programs that can provide a range of services, including:
- Overdose prevention education & naloxone access
- Access to new syringes and injection equipment
- Disposal of used syringes
- Vaccination
- Screening and linkage to care and treatment for infectious diseases like hepatitis C and HIV
- Wound care
- Health education, referrals, and linkage to health care and substance use disorder treatment
Resources
- The Essential Role of Syringe Service Programs in Preventing Overdose Deaths (PDF)
- DOH Infographic describing value of SSP in WA: Department of Health Supports Syringe Services Programs (PDF)
- DOH recommendation regarding needs-based model of SSP: Washington State Syringe Access Recommendations, 2019 (PDF)
- Directory of Syringe Service Programs in WA (Short URL: www.doh.wa.gov/SSPDirectory)
- Compilation of published research related to SSP since 2007 (Short URL: www.doh.wa.gov/SSPResearch)
- Syringe Service Programs: A Technical Package of Effective Strategies and Approaches for Planning, Design, and Implementation.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Syringe Service Programs
- CDC Support of SSP
- CDC Determination of Need
- Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opioid Overdose: What's Working in the United States
Resources for people who use drugs
- Directory of Syringe Service Programs in WA (Short URL: www.doh.wa.gov/SSPDirectory)
- Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Locator and the Washington Recovery Helpline
- HIV Testing, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and PrEP Drug Assistance Program (PrEPDAP)
Resources for organizations that serve people who use drugs
- NASTAD released a Trauma-informed Approaches Toolkit
- Harm Reduction Coalition and their Online Training Institute
- StopOverdose.org
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a Coping with Overdose Fatalities – Toolkit For Public Health Workers
- Anti-stigma initiative from DOH