Syringe Access and Disposal

Information on syringe access and syringe service programs.

Syringe access: purchase clean syringes

List of Participating Pharmacies: Syringe Access Initiative
How to access clean syringes without a prescription.
- Minnesota Pharmacy Syringe/Needle Access Initiative
  Information about the Minnesota law that allows pharmacies to sell a limited number of sterile syringes to individuals without a prescription.
- Pharmacy Registration or Removal: Syringe Access Initiative Form
  Online form for pharmacies participating in the syringe access initiative.

Safe disposal: storage or destruction of needles

Safe Disposal Options for Needles and Syringes: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on storage or destruction of needles.
- MPCA: Disposal options for needles and syringes (PDF)

Syringe Service Programs (SSP): reducing harms associated with substance use disorder

A Syringe Service Program (SSP) provides services to reduce the harms associated with drug use, and prevent HIV and viral hepatitis infections.

Reducing harms associated with substance use disorder through syringe service programs and syringe access (PDF)
Infographic about the benefits of syringe service programs.

Your Life Matters - Reduce the Harms of Drug Use

Your Life Matters - Reduce the Harms of Drug Use (PDF): SSP poster
This 11x17 poster is intended for public spaces such as bathrooms at libraries, grocery stores, community centers, and laundromats, or other places to reach people at risk of overdosing.
It has information about reducing the harms associated with drug use, overdose prevention, and services offered at SSPs. The poster has a blank space to write in or add a sticker with the contact information of the nearest SSP.
Minnesota Syringe Exchange Calendar
Listing of hours and contact information for Minnesota syringe exchange programs.

SSP Guidance, Fact Sheets, and Resources:

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Substance Use Disorder (PDF)
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on how to adapt SBIRT services (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) to Syringe Service Programs.
Opioid Overdose Prevention
Information on opioid overdose, how to get and use naloxone to reverse an overdose, Steve's Law, and other resources.
Harm Reduction Assessment (PDF)
Each drug use circumstance has different conditions and different strategies to reduce the harms of the drug use. Overdose prevention means preventing the harms associated with each unique drug use circumstance.
Laws Affecting People Who Use Drugs (PDF)
In Minnesota, there are laws and services that impact people who use drugs. This document provides an overview of the protections of Steve's Law, the Syringe Exchange Law, and the drug paraphernalia law.
Needle Gauge Resource List: common uses for needle by gauge size (PDF)
Needles come in various gauges and lengths. This resource comes from the Harm Reduction Coalition and Syringe Service Programs in Minnesota. This serves as a starting point, individual preferences may vary.
Novel Substances (PDF)
Novel substances are novel, or new, substances not previously identified by drug experts and include illicit drugs and counterfeit prescription medications.
Responding to Secondary Trauma Exposure (PDF)
Working within a Syringe Service Program (SSP) is rewarding work, but staff may require extra support due to secondary trauma. This document provides resources for staff of SSPs including information on supervision, team support, case consultation, self-care, quality improvement, and critical incident debriefing.
Suicidal Ideation Risk Assessment (PDF)
This document can be a tool to provide steps and resources for working with people who may be exploring thoughts of suicide.
Wound Care (PDF)
People who inject drugs are likely to experience wounds and infection related to their injection drug use. Preventing and caring for wounds in people who inject drugs requires special consideration of the conditions surrounding drug use.

Computer with syringe: Online training on SSP

Harm Reduction & Syringe Service Programs
Online training presented by Kate Erickson.
Note: If there is silence or any of the words are getting cut off on the slides, please pause and allow the slides to buffer fully, or check your internet connection.