The Works Program

Education Services

Works Program staff provide harm reduction education about safer practices including:

• Wound care and vein health
• HIV & hepatitis C testing and harm reduction counseling
• Vaccinations for influenza, hepatitis A and B, and Tdap
• Referral to addiction recovery services
• Overdose Prevention & Response
• Naloxone (Narcan)
• Safety manual for people who inject drugs

Connection to Services

The Works Program is dedicated to supporting clients by connecting them with a variety of community resources.

The Works Program connects clients to:

• Food assistance
• Housing assistance
• Clothing assistance
• Inpatient, outpatient, and medication assisted treatment
• Mental health treatment
• Sober living
• Shelter resources
• Medical support
• Medicaid or other health insurance options

If clients have special needs, staff will work to find solutions.

Criminal Justice Diversion Services

The Works Program is committed to serving people who inject drugs who have been diverted out of the criminal justice system through law enforcement or court officials.

In addition to syringe access, safer injection supplies, education services, and case management, diversion clients receive screening to assess the risk of their use, and access to a counselor.

To access criminal justice system diversion services, please email us or call 303-413-7546.

All services are free, confidential, or anonymous. You do not have to provide your name.

Syringe Access Locations

Boulder

Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP)
2118 14th Street – 303-444-6121
Monday – Friday 2pm-5pm

Boulder County Public Health
3482 Broadway – 303-413-7500
Monday – Friday 10:30am-4:30pm

Mental Health Partners
3180 Airport Road – 303-441-1281
24 hours, every day

Lafayette

Boulder County Public Health
Clinica Lafayette Building – 720-564-2708
1735 South Public Road, First Floor
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10:30 – 4:30 p.m.
No service or ten packs available outside of these hours

Longmont

Boulder County Public Health
515 Coffman, Suite 200 – 303-864-6515
Monday – Friday 10:30am-4:30pm

Get Trained for Overdose Reversal

Proper Disposal of Syringe Litter

Finding a needle or syringe in public can be alarming. Boulder County Public Health does outreach, walks our parks, and communicates with the public about their concerns.

People who don’t feel comfortable picking up used needles should not do it.

But, for those who want to take action or are already doing so, here are some basic safety guidelines to follow:

• Treat all used needles as contaminated, diseases can spread through needle pokes.
• Never pick up a needle with your bare hands, wear gloves.
• Wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet.
• Use a tool like tongs, pliers, or tweezers to pick up needles.
• Don’t discard needles in the trash. Use a sharps container or hard plastic container like a laundry detergent bottle.
• Put the sharps container on a stable surface next to the needle. Avoid walking a far distance carrying a used needle.
• Do not hold the container in your hand while placing needles inside it.
• Pick up needles with the point facing away from you and place them in the container point down.
• Remove gloves carefully to avoid contact with the contaminated fluid.
• Wash hands well afterward.
• If you find discarded needles in your neighborhood, but you don’t feel comfortable picking them up, there are city services available, but these services can become overwhelmed.

Report Syringe Litter

If you see syringe litter in a public place you can report it to the local jurisdiction. See the table below for contact information.

Syringe Access Services

Since 1989, Works Program staff and volunteer peer educators have provided outreach, education, and syringe exchange/access services to reduce HIV and hepatitis C transmission among people who inject drugs, and their partners.

The program uses harm-reduction practices founded in public health research to reduce the spread of disease and increase the safe disposal of syringes. Syringe access programs have been proven to reduce syringe litter, reduce overdose deaths, reduce the spread of disease and associated health care costs, and increase entry into substance use disorder treatment.

Addiction is a chronic neurological disorder that should be treated like other chronic illnesses. In fact, people who use substances (and syringe access programs) come from all walks of life at similar rates. Removing stigma and shame can help people living with substance use disorders seek help.

Best Practices, Research, & Data about Syringe Access Programs

The Works Program is a safe, legal, confidential, and non-judgmental place to get free injection supplies, support, and links to other resources to stay safe and healthy.