Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? You’re not alone.
Whether you’re someone who uses drugs, a concerned neighbor, or just curious about how harm reduction works, it’s normal to have questions.
Syringe Access Programs can feel unfamiliar—but the more we understand them, the better we can care for each other and build a stronger, healthier community.
Here are 12 frequently asked questions about syringe access programs, both in Summit County and overall:
Q: What is a syringe
access program?
A: A Syringe Access Program is a public health service that provides sterile syringes, safer use supplies, overdose prevention tools, sexual health services, and referrals to healthcare and treatment. It’s part of a broader harm reduction strategy designed to reduce the risks associated with drug use and improve community health and safety.
Q: Why do we need
harm reduction services in Summit County?
A: Substance use in Summit County is rising—overdose deaths have more than doubled since 2015, and 70% of adults report being personally affected. Easy access to drugs, high cost of living, mental health stressors, and stigma create a perfect storm. SAPs address these challenges with tools that save lives and reduce long-term health costs.
A: Harm reduction is a public health approach that meets people where they are (without judgment or pressure) to reduce the negative consequences of drug use. It lives in the space between treatment and prevention, and it recognizes that people need to feel safe and supported in order to access services or consider change.
Harm reduction recognizes that addiction or substance use cannot be reduced or eliminated through legislation alone - because these behaviors don’t exist in isolation, a multi-pronged approach is required to reduce overall harm to all of our community members, whether they use drugs or not. Harm reduction programs like SAPs do the work of improving community safety and public health through a different lens and plan of action, one that approaches people with compassion and dignity to support people in the path of their choice.
Q: What is harm reduction?
Q: Don’t syringe access programs just encourage drug use?
A: No. Extensive research shows that Syringe Access Programs (SAPs) do not increase drug use. In fact, they reduce risky behaviors and improve public safety. People who use SAPs are five times more likely to enter treatment than those who don’t.
SAPs don’t exist to promote or prolong drug use—they exist to keep people alive, healthy, and connected. And the benefits of that reach far beyond the individual:
For people who use drugs, SAPs offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to get supplies, access overdose prevention tools, and connect to healthcare or treatment at their own pace.
For families and loved ones, SAPs reduce the fear and trauma of preventable overdose deaths and disease transmission.
For first responders and medical professionals, SAPs help prevent costly, avoidable emergencies—like overdoses or infections requiring hospitalization.
For neighborhoods, they reduce improperly discarded syringes and build bridges to care instead of creating cycles of crisis.
For the community at large, SAPs are a cost-effective way to prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis, and other infections—saving public health dollars and lives.
These programs are part of a bigger picture—one where safety, dignity, and evidence-based care replace stigma, fear, and misunderstanding.
Q: How do SAPs help prevent infectious illnesses?
A: SAPs reduce the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other infections by providing sterile supplies and proper disposal options. They also offer STI testing and safer sex kits. These programs promote “safer injection”—protecting both individuals and the wider community who may come into contact with syringes disposed of improperly, or through intimate contact with someone who may have an STI and not know it.
Q: Who are these
services for?
A: Anyone who uses drugs, is at risk of substance use, wants to protect someone they care about, or simply wants to stay informed. Whether you're actively using or just want to be prepared, you’re welcome here.
Q: How effective are SAPs?
A: SAPs have over two decades of documented success. For example, one study showed that 94% of participants referred for hepatitis C treatment at a harm reduction center completed their care. SAPs also reduce the need for costly emergency care related to abscesses and infections.
A: Yes. SAPs reduce syringe litter, lower emergency healthcare use, and create pathways to treatment. Studies in Colorado show that neighborhoods with SAPs saw no increase in drug-related crime, and often experienced decreases in break-ins and public drug use.
Q: Are SAPs safe for the community?
Q: Are syringe access programs legal?
A: Yes. Syringe Access Programs (SAPs) are legal in Colorado and protected by state law. Public health agencies, nonprofit organizations, and licensed health facilities are allowed to operate SAPs, and as of 2020, experienced nonprofits can do so without prior approval from local boards of health. These programs are supported by harm reduction laws that exempt participants, volunteers, and staff from drug paraphernalia charges when they are part of a certified program. Participants receive an ID card from the program, which can be shown to law enforcement to verify protection under the law. In addition, the 911 Good Samaritan Law offers legal protection for individuals seeking emergency help during an overdose. These protections help ensure that people can access life-saving supplies and support without fear of legal consequences.
A: As harm reduction is a multi-pronged approach, treatment programs and prevention programs are not mutually exclusive; in Summit County and the wider Colorado area, our organization, collaborators and partners, and lawmakers are focused on investing heavily in both.
SAPs often lead people to treatment, which means they are often a critical introduction point to getting people the medical help they may need. They meet individuals who are not yet ready for recovery and offer a connection point. Without harm reduction, many people never get that chance. SAPs reduce deaths, disease, and suffering—and increase access to care across the board.
Q: Why not just invest in treatment services instead?
Q: Are these services expensive for taxpayers?
A: Not at all. SAPs are among the most cost-effective public health interventions. Treating a single case of HIV can cost up to $1 million, while treating an abscess at an SAP might cost as little as $146. Most funding comes from state grants and opioid settlement funds—money legally earmarked for harm reduction efforts.
Q: What else do SAPs provide?
A: In addition to safer use supplies, SAPs offer naloxone (Narcan) to reverse overdoses, fentanyl, xylazine, and benzo test strips, STI and pregnancy testing, health education and navigation, and referrals to healthcare, housing, and treatment programs. Many SAPs, including ours, also provide essential resources like food, clothing, and hygiene items to help meet immediate needs and support overall well-being.
Still have questions?
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Compassion starts with understanding—and that first step starts here.