About us

The Safe Use and Overdose Prevention Program (SUOPP) is the harm reduction program operated by the County of Santa Cruz. Since 2013, the program has served people who choose to use drugs with safer use supplies, education and referrals to support services. Grounded in the principles of harm reduction, the Safe Use and Overdose Prevention Program strives to create a safer and healthier community for all by reducing the risk of exposure to infection and disease and acting as a gateway to integrated services.

Exchange Schedule and Sites

1060 Emeline Ave. Room 105 Santa Cruz
Monday 10 am - 1 pm
Tuesday 5 pm - 7 pm
Wednesday - Mobile Exchange Shift
11am - 1pm
Thursday 4 pm - 6pm
Friday 10 am - 1pm

1430 Freedom Blvd, Ste B. Watsonville
Tuesday - Mobile Exchange Shift
9:30am - 11:30pm
Thursday
11:30am - 2:30pm

In partnership with Homeless Persons' Health Project (HPHP) Street Medicine team, our Exchange staff provide mobile services within the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Mobile Exchange locations may change. Please ask staff or call 831-454-2437 for location updates.

No Exchange services on Saturday, Sunday and County holidays.

  • 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:  

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:

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

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.
  • 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

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