We know; it's a little strange if you've never been to a syringe exchange before. You're thinking, "Is this for real?" or "Is this a set-up?". "Are they gonna ask me a bunch of questions?" "Do I have to give my name?".
Well friends, let us reassure you that there's nothing to fear here. We do not need any information from you. You simply show up and we'll do the rest. It's as easy as walking in and saying "Hi, I'm here for the syringe service". We will ask you if you prefer longs or shorts, and then we will proceed to get the supplies you need. We'll then ask if you need anything else; works, condoms, naloxone, testing...etc. That's it! If you're in a hurry, you can be in and out the door in 2 seconds! Or, if you'd like to hang out for a while and talk, that's fine too! We have a comfy couch, cold water and other snacks available in the bus.
We provide intramuscular naloxone and intranasal Narcan, used to prevent opioid overdose and empower those who use it. It's simple to use and comes with a short training. Feel free to ask for as much as you need!
Yes, we provide rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing at our mobile unit. It's just a finger stick and takes about 15 minutes for results. The great part is, if you're positive for either one, we set you up with free treatment right away. It's important to note that while Hepatitis C is curable, people living with HIV can also live healthy, normal lives with modern medicine. Just follow our lead, and we'll take care of the rest.
Please reach out to us with any of your concerns. You can email help@challengesinc.org, or text (864)-214-6181. We are on Facebook and Instagram as well.
The Harm Reduction and Syringe Services Symposium is happening in Greenville on June 9th. This is a historic event for SC and one we need your support at. If you are a person with lived experience, use code "harmred1" to register. Click below for more details.