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Drug Abuse & the Harm Reduction Program

To protect, promote and improve the health of our community

The Madison County Health Department operates a Syringe Services Program (SSP) to reduce the spread of blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) by providing a scientifically proven public health service that adopts and utilizes the best practices established for harm reduction in this population. Its goals include:

• Address the spread of blood borne diseases among PWID through best practices in harm reduction.
• Reduce the amount of used syringes disposed of in the community.
• Act as an access point for individuals to obtain referrals and information on drug treatment and rehabilitation, health service, insurance enrollment, counseling, and other social services that may be available.
• Provide education on prevention of opioid overdose and education and instruction on the proper use of naloxone/Narcan (either in person or by referral to a pharmacy that offers naloxone/Narcan without a prescription), to reduce overdoses and increase emergency treatment for those who may be in settings where its use may be required to prevent death.
• Safeguard all participants and assure that PWIDs are treated with respect and without stigma.
• Assure that all issues that require a referral for services are addressed in a systematic and confidential manner.

Services at the SEP include:

• Clean injection equipment.
• Hepatitis C and HIV testing available at some locations.
• Proper syringe disposal, including the expectation that participants will return used needles to the SEP for proper disposal.  
• A one-for-one exchange model will be employed that provides SEP participants with the same number of sterile syringes that the participant brings in for disposal. For example, if the participant disposes of 14 used syringes at the MCHRSEP, then she/he receives 14 new, sterile syringes in return.
• Referrals for those who request health services or treatment services.
• Free Narcan with training.

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  Click here to view our 2021 report

  Click here to view our 2022 report

Are you looking for a location to obtain naloxone?

Come to any of our Harm Reduction locations or watch for our van! We have free naloxone and training. You do NOT have to be a Harm Reduction client to get free naloxone.

There's now a statewide website available that includes a searchable registry allowing consumers to locate pharmacies that carry naloxone by city, county or zip code. It also contains information on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose and other valuable resources.

The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, in conjunction with the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy, the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy and the Advancing Pharmacy Practice in Kentucky Coalition has published this online registry at KyStopOverdoses.ky.gov.

Safe Syringe Disposal
Stimulant Safety: Getting Amped Up to Reduce Harms When Using Stimulants

Recovery Centers and Meetings Locator

Home · WebMaster · Madison County Health Department · 216 Boggs Lane · Richmond, KY 40475 · 859-623-7312 ·