Multnomah County Health Department - HIV Prevention Program

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HIV & Hep C Community Programs Table of Contents

•	Home Page
•	Frequently Asked Questions (CDC site)
•	Myths and Facts About AIDS
•	HIV Testing Sites
•	HIV Community Planning Team
•	HIV CPT Plan (PDF)
•	HIV Care Services Program
•	Viral Hepatitis Prevention Services
•	Hepatitis C Strategic Plan
•	Needle Exchange
•	What's Working in Needle Exchange
•	Needle Exchange Schedule: English
•	Needle Exchange Schedule: Spanish
•	Oregon/SW Washington Exchange Schedule
•	Reducing Risk when Injecting Drugs
•	How to Use a Condom
•	Hepatitis C Education Classes
•	HIV/HCV Resource Guide (PDF)
•	Viviendo una Vida Positiva (2nd ed)(PDF)
•	Hepatitis ABCs (PDF)
•	You've Tested Positive for Hepatitis...(PDF)
•	Hepatitis C Pocket Guide (PDF)

Health Department Websites
•	Health Department Home Page
•	Health Department Services
•	ABC de la Salud
•	Birth/Death Certificates (Vital Records)
•	Communicable Disease Control Section
•	Community Health Council
•	Community Immunizations
•	Diversity and Quality Team
•	Diversity Calendar
•	Emergency Preparedness
•	EMS
•	Environmental Health
•	Food Handler's Manual
•	Food Handler's Online Test
•	Health Assessment & Evaluation
•	Health Equity Initiative
•	Health Reserve Corps
•	Healthy Homes Program
•	HIPAA
•	HIV Health Services
•	HIV & Hep C Community Programs
•	HIV Services Planning Council
•	Lead Poisoning Information
•	Medicaid Enrollment
•	Patient and Staff Safety Program (PDF)
•	Public Health Academy
•	Restaurant Inspections
•	School Based Health Center Program
•	Smoke-Free Work and Public Places
•	STD Program Services
•	Travelers' Clinic
•	Vector Control (Pests and Nuisance)
•	West Nile Virus information
•	WIC
•	Vision, Mission, Values
•	Related Sites

Multnomah County Health Department
Healthy People in Healthy Communities
426 SW Stark, 8th Floor, Portland, OR 97204
Phone numbers:
Health Information and Referral: (503) 988-3816
Administration: (503) 988-3674; FAX: (503) 988-3676; TDD: 1-877-735-7525
Clinic Appointments: (503) 988-3333
Contact Us

HIV Prevention Program

If you shoot drugs and you never share rigs, cotton, cookers or water with anyone, that's a smart move!

If you are shooting drugs, here's how to get a clean rig if you need one:

Buy new syringes at a drug store. You don't need a prescription.
Trade used rigs for clean ones at a needle exchange site. See Needle Exchange hours for Portland and Vancouver. Or, call (503) 280-1611 for recorded information about exchange locations and times. You don't have to give your name.

Remember: sharing is dangerous, even if it's with friends or family or sex partners!

If you shoot drugs and if you share your rig or works with anyone, clean them carefully before you use them. Here's how:

Fill the rig with water to clean out any blood. Squirt the water out. Do this 3 times.
Next, fill the rig with straight bleach, shake it for a minute and squirt it out (not back in the bottle). Do this 3 times.
Then, fill the rig with fresh water to wash out the bleach. Squirt it out. Do this 3 times.
Also, clean your cooker with bleach & water. Always use clean cotton.

Bleaching your rigs can also reduce your chances of becoming infected with hepatitis C; however bleach will probably not eliminate the risk of hepatitis C infection. It is best to use a rig and all other equipment only once. Please see our Hepatitis site for more information.
It's hard to take the time to do all of these steps, but if you don't want to get HIV or AIDS, do it as carefully as you can...every time.

If you shoot drugs but are thinking of quitting...that's the safest choice! Here are some things you should know:

If you're ready to get into treatment or if you need support to stay clean, call the Oregon Alcohol & Drug Helpline at (503) 244-1312.
Get an HIV test. If you are infected, it's important to see a doctor as early as possible. There's a good chance you haven't been infected yet. Knowing that you don't have HIV may help you try to stay uninfected. Call Multnomah County Health Department at (503) 988-3775 for an anonymous HIV test.

Take care of the people you love.

There are other ways that HIV can be passed from person to person besides injection drug use. Be careful with these situations too:

Don't leave dirty rigs lying around. Someone could get stuck accidentally.
If you're thinking about having a baby or are already pregnant, get an HIV test soon.
If you have vaginal, anal or oral sex with a man or a woman, be sure to use a latex barrier to keep yourself and your partner safe. Talk to your partner.
Use new or sterile needles or wire for tattoos or body piercing.

How does someone get AIDS?

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is passed from one person to another in blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. It's not in saliva, tears, sweat, urine or vomit.

The most common ways people get infected with HIV are by sharing injection drug equipment and having unprotected sex. Also, an infected woman can give HIV to her child during pregnancy or childbirth.

For more information about AIDS, call the Oregon AIDS Hotline. In Portland, the number is (503) 223-2437. The toll free number from anywhere in Oregon and SW Washington is 1-800-777-2437.

More Information: