Syringe Services
Public health experts agree that the use of sterile syringes by people who inject drugs decreases the risk of blood-borne illnesses such as HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV). ASGCC provides free access to sterile syringes and safer using supplies, as well as retrieval and safe disposal of used syringes.
ASGCC’s Syringe Services program offers more than just syringe distribution and collection. Our highly qualified staff uses a set of harm reduction strategies aimed at reducing the negative consequences of substance use, including disease transmission and overdose. ASGCC offers connections to recovery supports for those who would like to make a change in their use of substances, and we also provide referrals to medical care for anyone who needs it. Testing for HIV, HCV and other sexually transmitted infections is also available, as well as free condoms and access to services like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a daily medication that can prevent HIV acquisition during sex.
ASGCC performs what are sometimes called “community sweeps,” which involve retrieving syringes that have been discarded and improperly disposed. Please call our offices if you discover syringes that need collection, and our team can safely gather and dispose of them.
Syringe Services are available at the following ASGCC service sites: Provincetown (Drop-in Center: 508.487.8311), Hyannis (508.778.1954); and Martha’s Vineyard (Vineyard Haven: 774.994.7935). Address information is in the footer below.
For clients in Falmouth and other locations in the Upper or Mid Cape, our Mobile Outreach Van provides local syringe services. Please call our Falmouth office (774.763.6656) to learn the van’s current schedule and locations.
Overdose Education and Narcan Training
ASGCC is one of 24 community-based agencies participating in the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Initiative, a program created by the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Overdose Education and Narcan Training are free and available to all people actively addicted to opioids, as well as their friends, colleagues, and family members. ASGCC provides training in a variety of settings, whether one-on-one training at our offices or group training at recovery houses or in community centers. Throughout Cape Cod and the Islands, ASGCC has trained nearly 3,000 citizen responders including numerous health services providers, first responders and law enforcement officers.
