Harm Reduction and HIV Prevention

• Why Harm Reduction/Overdose Prevention Works
• Syringe Access Services
• Our Schedule
• Overdose Prevention
• HIV and Hep C Prevention
• Harm Reduction for Opioids and Other Substances
• Naloxone Information
• Community Resources and Referrals
• Schedule a Naloxone Training

People who use drugs are often the first responders to an overdose. If you or someone you know uses opioids, carrying and knowing how to administer Naloxone could save a life in the event of an overdose. Our Harm Reduction team holds Informational sessions and provides Naloxone to anyone interested. Register here for an upcoming information session and to pick up Naloxone.

Our program was created using an evidence-based approach that aims to reduce health and social harms associated with substance use. We provide a safe, non-judgmental place to exchange used syringes for sterile injection equipment.

We aim to empower participants to maintain and improve their own health while preventing opioid overdose and HIV/Hepatitis C transmission within Adams County. The Harm Reduction team:

• Provides a space for people to be open about their drug use and sexual behavior so it’s not hidden, perpetuating feelings of isolation.
• Values people and their expertise so they feel empowered to determine and voice their own hierarchy of need, and next steps are clear between provider and participant.
• Is rooted in evidence-based practices that have shown decreases in health and social harms.
• Keeps individuals engaged in care if they re-engage risk at any stage.

Our Syringe Access Program provides services in a safe, non-judgmental setting that welcomes, affirms, and accepts everyone regardless of their current drug use practices. The program provides services within the context of harm reduction principles and guidelines, as outlined by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

We provide harm reduction supplies (sterile supplies for injecting, smoking, snorting drugs, and overdose prevention materials), education, and resources to people who use drugs in Adams County.

Supplies We Provide

• Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. 
  Western Services Center
  12200 N Pecos Street, Suite 120, Westminster
• Monday-Friday 1-4 p.m. 
  Westminster Sexual Health Clinic
  1401 W 122nd Ave, Westminster
• Mondays 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. 
  Commerce City- South Platte Crossing
  7190 Colorado Blvd, 2nd Floor, Commerce City
• 2nd & 4th Thursdays: 1:30-3:30 p.m. 
  Irving Street Library Resource Fair
  7382 Irving Street, Westminster
• Third Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 
  Bennett Community Center   
  1100 E Colfax Ave, Bennett

All services available by appointment Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., at Westminster Sexual Health Clinic, 1401 W. 122nd Ave. Call 303.363.3077 or email [email protected] to schedule.

Available for walk-ins at our Commerce City location, 7190 Colorado Blvd., on Mondays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., and at our Westminster location, 1401 W. 122nd Ave., Immunization Clinic, on Fridays, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., or by appointment. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 303.363.3077 or email [email protected].

Naloxone is an opioid antidote that can help reverse an opioid overdose.  The ACHD Harm Reduction Team offers Naloxone at no cost, along with Community Naloxone Trainings for anyone interested in learning more.  You can receive Naloxone for free from us or another local health department or harm reduction agency. Contact us to learn more about getting a free box today.

Community Naloxone Training

• Click here to schedule an Overdose Prevention and Naloxone training with our team.
• If you work for an organization that would like to have Naloxone on hand, please call 303.363.3077 or email [email protected] to schedule a no-cost training today!

Fentanyl Testing Strip Distribution

• Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm.
• FTS are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables).
• FTS provide people who use drugs and communities with important information about fentanyl in their drug supply so they can take steps to reduce risk of overdose.
• Please visit us during our walk-in hours, call 303.363.3077, or email [email protected] to receive fentanyl test strips and training on how to use them.

Free walk-in rapid HIV, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis  testing is available at our Commerce City location at 7190 Colorado Blvd. on Mondays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. And at our Westminster location at 1401 W. 122nd Ave on Fridays from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, please call 303.363.3077 or email [email protected].

Free HIV, Syphilis, and Chlamydia/Gonorrhea testing and treatment are available at the Sexual Health Clinics in Westminster (1401 W. 122nd Ave. #200) and North Broadway (7000 Broadway, Suite 400). The Sexual Health Program also offers birth control and additional STI testing at low to no cost based on income. Please call 303.363.3018 to schedule an appointment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people between the ages of 15 and 65 be screened for HIV, as well as women who are pregnant and unsure of their HIV status.

Individuals who are at an increased risk of getting HIV should get tested every six months. These individuals include the following:

• Gay and bi-sexual men
• Men who have sex with men (MSM)
• Transgender people, especially transgender women
• People who have condom-less vaginal or anal sex
• People who share injection drug equipment

People who are at low risk of getting HIV should ask their provider when they should get tested. These individuals include:

• People who are not sexually active
• People who are sexually active in exclusive relationships with people who do not have HIV

Our HIV prevention services include free rapid testing, PrEP screening, counseling, and free safer sex supplies like condoms, lube, dental dams, and more. If you are interested in finding a PrEP Provider, click here.

We also offer free Rapid Hepatitis C testing to anyone, including individuals at increased risk of getting Hepatitis C. These individuals are at increased risk of Hepatitis C:

• Anyone who has injected drugs
• Anyone who has received blood or organs before 1992
• Anyone born between 1945 – 1965
• Anyone who has had a tattoo or piercing in a correctional facility
• Health & Safety workers who have been exposed wo blood on the job through a needlestick or injury
• Anyone on hemodialysis
• Anyone born to a mother with Hepatitis C

Interested in Home STI Testing? Test Yourself Colorado gives free tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and HIV tests for people living in Colorado once a year.

If you want to get tested more often, Test Yourself Colorado has low-cost home testing kits. You can also call the clinic to compare the options and cost.

How to order at-home testing kits:

• Register at testyourselfcolorado.com.
• Upload your ID for STI testing, but it is not required for HIV tests.
• Kits will be sent to your mailing address.

How to test yourself:

• Instructions for testing are online.
• Mail your tests back.
• You will be able to check your lab results online.

Positive test results:

• Screenshot or print your positive results to show a healthcare provider.
• Contact the clinic and we will arrange treatment for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. The medication is at no cost to you.
• If you have a positive HIV test, we will complete a confirmatory blood draw.

Treatment for SUD Resources/Referrals

General information on getting treatment and destigmatizing addiction – We recognize that accessing treatment can be challenging in many ways including knowing where to start, fear of stigma, provider goals not aligning with your individual goals, transportation, etc. We aim to reduce these barriers to care and help you to reach your self-directed goals.

Where to Start

• SAMHSA's National Helpline - Treatment Referral Routing Service
• Start Your Recovery - Find Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers and Support

Rehabilitation Program Search Engines

• Sober Nation
• Colorado LADDERS
• SAMHSA Find Treatment
• Own Path Colorado

Substance Use and Mental Health Services We Have Established Relationships With

• Achieve Whole Recovery
• HEART Counseling
• Porch Light Health (previously Front Range Clinic)

Find a Recovery Meeting Resource

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• NA Colorado
• Smart Recovery

General Community Resources Outside of Substance Use

• 211 Colorado - Information on lots of community resources like food, housing, healthcare, etc. Search based on zip code
• Adams County Resources - Information on lots of community resources like food, housing, healthcare, etc. Search based on zip code
• CDPHE Viral Hepatitis/STI/HIV Referral Resource Guide
• Adams County Resources- English | Spanish
• Colorado Crisis Services
• Sexual Health
• Mental Health- ACHD Substance Use Prevention
• Sharps Drop Off Sites
• Naloxone Sites 
• Rx Drop Off Sites
• Together TakeMeHome (TTMH) - A project with the goal of distributing up to 1 million free HIV self-tests over the next five years. People in the United States, including Puerto Rico, can order up to two free HIV self-tests every 90 days via a new online portal. Tests are available to anyone 17 years or older, regardless of health insurance or immigration status.
• Northglenn CRU Resources