205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Lauren Wickerath, BSN Harm Reduction Specialist 509-859-6274
Kittitas County Public Health Department Front Desk 509-962-7515
publichealth@co.kittitas.wa.us
The Kittitas County Public Health Department uses harm reduction principles to reduce overdoses and the spread of blood borne pathogens, as well as to connect people who use drug with treatment and recovery resources.
For more information about the services offered through the Harm Reduction Program, please see the list below.
Please feel free to share our brochure found here: PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES AND MEDICATION DISPOSAL IN KITTITAS COUNTY
To request printed copies, contact our Harm Reduction Specialist at 509.859.6274.
Every Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 – 4:00, Ellensburg United Methodist Church
HIV and hepatitis C can be spread by sharing injection equipment. To reduce spread of these diseases, the Never Share Syringe Exchange provides residents a place to safely dispose of used syringes and to receive sterile syringes. We also offer free Naloxone, Fentanyl test strips, wound supplies, and referrals to community resources and treatment programs, including Medication Assisted Treatment/ Suboxone treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.
The Never Share Syringe Exchange is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 43:00 p.m. at the Ellensburg United Methodist Church at the corner of 3rd and Ruby in Ellensburg, and every Wednesday from 2:00 to 4:00 pm (by appointment only) in Cle Elum, behind the Medic One Office at 505 Power Street. To schedule an appointment in Cle Elum, please call the front desk at 509.962.7515 or our Harm Reduction Specialist at 509.859.6274 by 2:00 pm the Tuesday before.
Project NEXUS is a study in partnership with the University of Washington and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to learn more about the health and behaviors of people who inject drugs. Current Never Share Syringe Exchange clients may be eligible to take part in the project and can receive up to $80 grocery store gift cards for participation. For more information, contact our Harm Reduction Specialist at 509.859.6274.
Naloxone is a drug that reverses an opioid overdose. It is not addictive and is safe to use on anyone who might be experiencing an opioid overdose. It does not work on other types of overdoses. Naloxone does not last long, therefore 911 needs to be called. Anyone who is at risk of witnessing or experiencing an overdose can carry Naloxone in Washington State. You can get naloxone from the Kittitas County Public Health Department for free by visiting the Never Share Syringe Exchange or contacting our Harm Reduction Specialist at 509.859.6274.
For more information, visit:
Medication disposal sites offer a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of any unused or expired medications. There are eight locations in Kittitas County that provide medication disposal:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that weakens the immune system. Hepatitis C is a virus that damages the liver. Both of these diseases are spread by contact with the blood of an infected person. Both diseases can be treated, and hepatitis C can often be cured. Two other forms of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A and B, can be prevented by vaccination.
The Kittitas County Public Health Department offers educational presentations, outreach, and referral for testing to at-risk individuals to help reduce the spread of HIV and viral hepatitis infections in Kittitas County.
