Syringe Exchange Program
A Proven Practice to Reduce the Spread of HIV and Bloodborne Diseases
Anonymous & Free
Locations and hours of operation:
MAIN SITE:
Inside the Louisville Metro Public Department of Health & Wellness, 400 E. Gray St.
LGBTQ Safe Place
| Monday | 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday |
1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed |
"Without this we would be lost or gone." --SEP client
Community Syringe Exchange Sites (Operated by UK Health and KY Harm Reduction Coalition, look for the RV or van)
| Redeemer Lutheran Church | 3640 River Park Drive (37th and River Park) |
Temporarily closed |
| Beulah Presbyterian Church | 6704 Bardstown Rd | Every Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. |
| Hazelwood | 4696 Hazelwood Ave (just past St. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital) | Every Wednesday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
| Behind the Lake Dreamland Fire Station | 4603 Cane Run Rd | Every Thursday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
| Portland Family Health Center Parking Lot | 2215 Portland Ave. | Every Friday from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
| Behind the Louisville Metro Southwest Government Center | 7219 Dixie Highway | Every Saturday from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
"Everyone here treats you with respect and they clearly
understand and genuinely care." -- SEP client
CLARK COUNTY, INDIANA Syringe Exchange Program
Operated by the Clark County Health Department, 812-288-2706
1301 Akers Ave., Jeffersonvile, IN
Monday thru Friday, 9a.m. - 3 p.m.
"This is an amazing resource that surely has kept me disease free." --SEP client
What is a syringe exchange program?
- A public health program for people who use drugs by injection (IDU’s)
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Goal is to reduce the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other blood-borne infections
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Provides new, sterile syringes and clean injection equipment.
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Syringes and needles are disposed of safely, reducing the number of discarded syringes on our sidewalks, yards, parks and play grounds.
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We are now offering Narcan (an opioid overdose reversal drug also known as Naloxone) and Fentanyl Test Strips (used to check for Fentanyl in drugs).
- Download our brochure.
Why have a syringe exchange program?
- Preventing HIV infection in people who inject drugs also prevents HIV in pregnant women and newborn children
- By working with people who inject drugs we can get them into treatment
- An evidence-based practice to connect IDUs to:
- Harm reduction counseling
- Referrals to medical, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment
- Testing for HIV, Hepatitis, and other infections
- Education about harms associated with drug use and how to minimize them
- Safe disposal of used equipment
- In 194 US cities in 2014 including
- Nashville
- Pittsburgh
- Kansas City, MO
- Cincinnati
Who are we trying to reach?
- Intravenous drug users (IDUs)
- 18-25 year olds are the fastest growing segment of IDUs
Resources
Learn about medication assisted treatment at our MORE Center.
Read the LMPHW Syringe Exchange Program Guidelines
Read the Participants Rights and Responsibilities
Get a free naloxone kit and training on how to use it.
CEU for Healthcare Providers: Harm Reduction and Syringe Access Program – Louisville’s Experience
Research Brief: Comparison between needs-based and one-for-one Syringe Exchange Program models
Information and guidance for household sharps disposal in Kentucky can be found at
- How to Safely Dispose of Needles (English)
- How to Safely Dispose of Needles (Spanish)
- How to Safely Dispose of Needles (Arabic)
- Department for Environmental Protection Medical Waste in Kentucky
Links to additional information:
The Foundation for AIDS Research Fact Sheet
Updated amfAR SSP Coverage Map
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