Being Alive Expands its Syringe Servicing Program Hours in West Hollywood

Being Alive’s mission is ending HIV. This includes keeping HIV+ families healthy, informed, and in care. It also means eliminating new HIV infections. The organization is reaching out to the community to help stem the rising number HIV infection rates which has been driven by the current opioid and crystal meth epidemics. The goal of this community engagement approach is to decrease transmission rates of HIV, hepatitis C, and STIs along with increases in utilization of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs. Over over 100 agencies partner with Being Alive to help deliver a wide range of services to their clients and help them become self-sufficient, self- reliant, and engaged in self-advocacy.

Being Alive’s SSP is a community-based HIV harm reduction program providing a wide range of services including: linkage to SUD treatment; access to sterile syringes and disposal of used injection equipment; safer smoking equipment; overdose education; Narcan distribution; HIV testing; condoms and PrEP resources and linkage to care and treatment for other infectious diseases. Our SSP has a focus on people who inject drugs, but also individuals who use insulin, hormones, steroids, or other injectable treatments are welcome to exchange and dispose of needles with Being Alive LA too.

Community SSPs protect the public and first responders by facilitating the safe disposal of used needles and used injection equipment. Providing testing, counseling, and sterile injection supplies also helps prevent outbreaks of other infectious diseases. Nearly thirty years of research shows that comprehensive SSPs are safe, effective, and cost saving, do not increase illegal drug use or crime, and play an important role in reducing the transmission of infectious diseases.