County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Public Health Policy
Anna Long
241 N. Figueroa St. Room 306 C
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 240-8036
Fax: (213) 975-1273
Public Health Policy is an administrative office responsible primarily for the coordination of legislative and administrative
policy efforts within the Department of Public Health. Public Health's role in legislative policy issues is twofold:
To review and analyze proposed legislation related to public health issues of importance in Los Angeles County and
recommended legislative positions; and
To advocate for initiating legislation on policy issues focused on improving the public's health in Los Angeles County
The aim of the DPDP program in Los Angeles County is to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases such as Hepatitis C and
HIV by allowing registered pharmacies to sell up to 10 syringes to anyone over the age of 18. The pharmacy must be registered
with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health.
Every year, 8 million people across the country use more than 3 billion sharps (needles, syringes, and lancets)
to manage medical conditions at home. Disposing of sharps safely is very important for preventing accidental needle-stick
injuries and the transmission of blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV. Used sharps and syringes should be
brought a collection center for proper disposal. Please do not throw them in the general trash.
To locate a sharps collection site near you, please contact the Home-Generated Sharps Waste Management Program at
1 (888)CLEAN-LA or visit
www.888CleanLA.com.
Working with community partners, the Los Angeles County Syringe Exchange Program provides clean needles
and syringes to intravenous drug users in exchange for used ones in an effort to reduce the sharing of contaminated
needles. Additional services such as HIV/AIDS counseling, wound-care, and drug treatment referrals are available to
participants through this program.
