Safe Use and Overdose Prevention Program

• Syringe access and disposal
• Opioid overdose prevention (naloxone and fentanyl test strip kits with training)
• Alternatives to injecting (supplies for smoking)
• Condoms and safer sex supplies
• General hygiene supplies (toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.)
• Linkage to HIV and Hepatitis C care
• Referrals to:  
  • Medication Assisted Treatment
  • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV Prevention
  • Other services as needed

What to do if you find syringes in the community?

If the syringe presents a threat to public safety, call 911. The Sheriff’s office or city police will be dispatched depending on the location of the property.

If no threat to public safety:

• Outside of the City of Santa Cruz, report to the Sheriff’s non-emergency line at 831-471-1121.
• Within the City of Santa Cruz.
• Found on private property in an unincorporated area of the county:  Call the County Environmental Health Division at 831-454-2022 to report and request removal.

For cities without a specific protocol for pick up:

• City of Capitola
  • Capitola Police Dept. (831) 475-4242
  • Capitola Public Works Dept. 831-475-7300
• City of Scotts Valley
  • Scotts Valley Police Dept. (831) 440-5670
  • Scotts Valley Public Works Dept. (831) 438-5854
• City of Watsonville
  • Watsonville Police Dept. (831) 768-3300
  • Watsonville Public Works Dept. (831) 768-3100

Community disposal Sites:

• Government Center- 701 Ocean St. Santa Cruz
• City Overlook- 301 Armory Rd. Santa Cruz
• Housing Matters/HPHP Clinic- 115 Coral Street. Santa Cruz
• Felker St.- Off of Santa Cruz Riverwalk and pedestrian path under Cabrillo Hwy 1, Santa Cruz
• Levee Path above Kaiser Arena- 203 Laurel Street Extension. Santa Cruz
• Santa Cruz Clinic -1080 Emeline Avenue. Santa Cruz
• Watsonville Health Center - 9 Crestview Drive. Watsonville
• Watsonville Waste and Recycle (gate 4): 320 Harvest Dr. Watsonville. Household Hazardous Waste Hours Tue-Sat 9am-2:30pm.

Please keep sharps out of the reach of children and use our Exchange and kiosks to safely dispose of used syringe litter.

DO NOT:

• Throw loose sharps in the trash.
• Put sharps in the recycling.
• Flush sharps down the toilet.

• SUOPP Program Usage Data - PowerBI Report Provides the most current data regarding the number of participants served, where services were provided, and relevant demographics.
• Hybrid Model Pilot - Update to Board of Supervisors (August 2024)
• Hybrid Model Pilot - Update to Board of Supervisors (March 2024) 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Frequently Asked Questions- Safe Use and Overdose Prevention Program
• Preguntas Frecuentes- Programa de Prevención de Sobredosis y Uso Seguro 

Local

• 2-1-1 - by United Way of Santa Cruz County provides comprehensive information and referral services 24/7, including referrals for housing, food distribution and other assistance programs.
• Homeless Persons’ Health Project (HPHP) provides comprehensive health care and housing in an effort to eliminate homelessness in our community.
  • 831-454-2080
  • Street Medicine Program
• Santa Cruz Free Guide is a list of resources including free meals, food, showers, toilets and help for people in Santa Cruz.
• Janus of Santa Cruz: Medication Assisted Treatment rovides relief to many individuals suffering with opioid use disorders and alcohol dependence
• RecoveryWave.org - is a comprehensive resource of substance abuse recovery services within Santa Cruz County.
• SafeRx Santa Cruz County is a local substance use safety coalition dedicated to aligning and accelerating best practices for opioids and other substances.
• Harm Reduction Coalition creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies.
• Naloxone Finder - to help locate where you can get Naloxone for free.

Informational Videos

• Fighting Opioid Addiction is Personal - Personal story about opioid addiction.
• Administering Naloxone - Equips public health agencies, community organizations, friends, family members and others with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent opioid-related deaths by using naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose. The 11-minute training video includes a six-point checklist on how to recognize when a person is overdosing and demonstrates how to dispense naloxone and provide post-overdose care.

Other Information/Web Links

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• California Department of Public Health
• Never Use Alone CA Hotline  (800) 469-4470
• How to stay safer with xylazine: Also known as Tranq, xylazine is not an opioid. Tranq is a veterinary sedative recently found in the U.S. drug supply. English  Spanish
• HIV and Injection Drug Use: Syringe Services Programs for HIV Prevention
• Pharmacies that sell non-prescription syringes
• Police Forum Report Says Syringe Exchange Encourages Drug Treatment, Lowers Injury and Disease - Huffington Post Blog
• Fentanyl Fact Sheet
• Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opiod Overdose: What's Working in the United States
• A comparison of syringe disposal practices among injection drug users in a city with versus a city without needle and syringe programs
• ISSUE BRIEF: SMOKING SUPPLIES FOR HARM REDUCTION
• Policy Brief on Needle Exchange
• Recommended Best Practices for Effective Syringe Exchange Programs