Turning Point designed this program to meet the needs of African Americans who have HIV or are at-risk for sexually transmitted diseases due to drug abuse and/or failure to practice safe sex. The prevention and outreach workers and community intervention specialists contact injecting drug users and their partners. They provide HIV/AIDS/STD prevention education presentations for these individuals. Also, Turning Point provides case management services to help individuals living with HIV or AIDS in finding medical and social services.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Works
Works is the equipment injecting drug users use to prepare their drugs. A kit of works may contain:
- Rubber Tourniquet
- Syringe and Needle
- Matches
- Spoon
- Rubbing Alcohol
YOU SHOULD NEVER SHARE YOUR WORKS OR USE ANOTHER PERSON'S WORKS. IF YOU MUST USE ANOTHER PERSON'S WORKS, OR SHARE YOUR WORKS, FOLLOW THESE PROCEDURES FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING NEEDLES AND SYRINGES.
Syringes and needles are not made to be reused. If you inject drugs and you use another person’s needle and syringe, clean and disinfect the needle and syringe as follows. Make sure you also clean the hub of the needle thoroughly:
- Flush the needle and syringe several times with clean water (about 3 to 4 times). Use fresh water each time. Shake and tap the syringe while it is filled with water.
- Completely fill the needle and syringe several times with full strength bleach. Use fresh bleach each time (any form of common, household, chlorine bleach).
- Let the bleach stay in the syringe at least 30 seconds; do this about 3 or 4 times. Shake and tap the syringe while it is filled with bleach.
- Rinse out the needle and syringe by filling it several times with clean water. Use FRESH water each time. Shake and tap the syringe while it is filled with water. Taking the syringe apart may improve cleaning.
Turning Point provides services for those individuals who inject drugs and injecting drug users who are HIV positive. These services include, but are not limited to:
- Harm Reduction
- Supportive Housing
- Case Management Services
- Prevention Education
For more information about our Injecting Drug Users services, contact us at (612) 520-4004.
REMEMBER: THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT HIV/AIDS INFECTION IS TO STOP INJECTING DRUGS.
SOURCE: CDC National AIDS Hotline Training Bulletin #48, May, 1993. 
