If you use drugs, we help you stay safe. Our service is free, easy, private and hassle-free.
If you don't know us yet, here are some important things to know about who we are and how we work.
Here's how our service works. It's a quick and simple process. To begin, all you have to do is visit one of our locations. Find the nearest location here.
Come see us. You can choose any location. Check hours first to see when it's open. You don't need to call ahead. You won't need money or an ID.
Meet privately. Call our service navigator to discuss your needs. On your first call, they will ask a few questions to understand you better. They can help you access resources we don't provide in house, like housing assistance or access to treatment services.
Receive what you need, including sterile works and other supplies. You can also get naloxone, and wound and vein care from our expert staff.
Get help to find other services, if you want them - like food, shelter, or medical care. We can connect you with good providers.
That's it! It's that simple. You can come as often as you need to. It's always free - there's never any charge.
We have one office location, one indoor service location, and four mobile van locations. You don't need to call ahead, but do check hours first. We are open only at certain times.
Our mobile medical van is ONLY available at our weekday sites and these services are not available on Sundays. If you are interested in learning about our medical services, please call the office and ask for mobile medical team member information.
East Liberty
211 N. Whitfield St.
Open Sundays
12:00pm-3:00pm
Inside Allies, 5th floor.
*Mobile medical services NOT available on Sundays.
Perry Hilltop
Find white van at intersection of N. Charles St. and Perrysville Ave.
Open every Tuesday
1:00pm-4:00pm
Hill District
Find white van at intersection of Bentley Dr. and Kirkpatrick St.
Open every Wednesday
1:00pm-4:00pm
Carrick / Overbrook
2415 Saw Mill Run Blvd
Open every Thursday
12:00pm-3:00pm
Find white van in parking lot behind Fairhaven United Methodist Church.
Homewood
NEW LOCATION & TIME
7745 Tioga Street
Every Friday, 12-3PM
Look for the white vans in the lot accress from Bethany Center.
Here are eight things we've learned about injecting drugs that can help you avoid overdose, infections, and disease.
Don't inject alone
Choose a location where others can find you if you overdose. Even better, inject where people can use naloxone to save you from an overdose. Have to use alone? Call Never Use Alone at (877) 696-1996 or Safe Spot at 1-800-972-0590 so help can get to you in case of overdose.
Have naloxone
Don't count on others to have naloxone - always have your own. Keep naloxone in plain sight in case you OD, so that others can use it to save.
Use new, sterile stuff
Use a brand new needle, cotton, cooker and clean water every time you inject. Keep your stuff separate from other people's, so you can be sure.
Clean your skin
Before injecting, wash your hands and clean the injection site with soap and water. If you can't use soap and water, wipe aware dirt and germs with alcohol wipes.
Prepare a test shot
Just inject part of the bag to see what you've got. You can always inject more later.
Pick a safe injection site
Avoid injecting into legs, feet, groin, neck, or places where veins come together. You're more likely to damage the vein, hit an artery or nerve, or start an infection.
Filter your shot
Always use a clean dental cotton or Steri-Filt filter to draw up the shot. This helps keep dangerous particles from getting in your bloodstream.
Shoot steady
When you're ready to inject, slow yourself down, think it through, and keep your hand steady. If you miss the vein, you're more likely to get an abscess.
This video will show you how to tell if someone has overdosed, and how to give them an injection of naloxone to save their life.
The local opioid supply has changed dramatically to include non-opioid sedatives like medetomidine and xylazine. Medetomidine is similar to xylazine but stronger and does not seem to cause wounds. It is HEAVILY sedating and has been prevalent in the opioid supply for more than a year. Withdrawal can be life-threatening, but is treatable in the hospital. Rescue breathing is very important in an overdose because medetomidine and xylazine are not opioids so lots of naloxone doesn't help! 1-2 doses and breathing is what is needed.
Prevention Point Pittsburgh (PPP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing health empowerment services to people who use drugs. PPP is deeply rooted in a concern for the well being of not only our clients, but the general health of the entire community.
Prevention Point Pittsburgh was founded in 1995 when James Crow and Caroline Acker, along with a handful of dedicated volunteers, began providing needle exchange services once a week on a Hill District street corner to prevent the spread of injection-related blood-borne disease.
In April 2002, PPP established a county-authorized needle exchange site in East Liberty. Since that time, over 5,000 injection drug users have enrolled into our program for critical prevention services.
"In addition to needle exchange services, PPP has grown to include comprehensive case management services, assistance to drug treatment, individual risk-reduction counseling, health education, condom and bleach distribution, overdose prevention with naloxone distribution and free HIV, Hepatitis C, and STI screening in collaboration with Allies for Health + Wellbeing, formerly the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.
PPP's services are authorized by the Allegheny County Board of Health and the Allegheny County Council (Ordinance #3671-08).
We could not do the important work of providing essential harm and risk reduction services without the generosity of people like you. Your contribution allows us to continue working to reduce the rates of Hepatitis C, HIV, and overdose fatalities in our region.
There are several ways you can support us
DONATE NOWYou can donate directly to Prevention Point Pittsburgh by clicking the "Donate Now" button
Corporate Matching
Remember, many companies that match their employee’s charitable gift-giving. This is a great way to double your donation!
Volunteer
If you would like more information about volunteering with Prevention Point, please send email with your interest and contact information to jonah@pppgh.org. You may also call our office (412) 247-3404 and leave your contact information
*Prevention Point Pittsburgh is tax exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to our organization are deductible under section 170 of the Code.
