Public Health News & Alerts

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness’ (LMPHW) main location at 400 E. Gray St. is closed until further notice, due to damage from recent flooding inside the building. The public can call 502-574-6520 for information and assistance.

Most public health programs and services are provided at locations outside of 400 E. Gray St. and continue with normal operations. The following are temporary changes made to LMPHW services provided at 400 E. Gray St.:

• The Harm Reduction Outreach Service Program, 400 E. Gray St., will reopen on Wednesday, November 30. It will be open Mondays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wednesdays, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Until then, people can visit our nearest location, 1229 S. Shelby St., which is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. People seeking harm reduction services can also visit one of the locations listed on our outreach services webpage.
• The Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic at 400 E. Gray St. is open by appointment only. Patients must use the main entrance and sign in. Call 502-574-6617 to schedule an appointment.
• Environmental inspectors at LMPHW are dispatching from home and will continue inspections, as well as follow up on complaints.
• Those who need to pay or renew a food, hotel/motel, pool, tattoo studio or other health permit can do so online at louisvilleky.gov “Pay Permit Here”. 
• People needing to drop off plans for a septic system or building plans for a restaurant will be unable to at this time. In the meantime, they can be emailed to: 
  • LMPHW_PlanReview@louisvilleky.gov  (Note: There is an underscore following LMPHW) 
  • LMPHW_PlanReviewFood@louisvilleky.gov (Note: There is an underscore following LMPHW) 

As soon as more information becomes available about the department's building, it will be shared on our website, social media pages and the main number at 502-574-6520.

Syringe disposal boxes can now be found in Portland, Shelby and Boone Square parks. The boxes were recently installed to prevent the spread of bloodborne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C in the Louisville Metro community. On the boxes, people can also find contact information for the Harm Reduction Outreach Services Program at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW).   

The syringe disposal boxes were installed through a partnership with LMPHW, Louisville Parks and Recreation, Councilwoman Donna Purvis and Metro Facilities. Metro Parks identified the three parks as locations where its staff routinely finds syringes.

Two syringe disposal boxes are currently standing in the community at LMPHW’s headquarters at 400 E. Gray St. and outside The Salvation Army, located along S. Brook and E. Breckinridge St. It is estimated that every year, anywhere between 3,000 and 10,000 syringes are disposed of at the Gray St. location. Once syringes are placed in a box, they cannot be accessed by anyone except the authorized waste disposal team.  

If you find a used syringe, the following are steps you can take to safely discard it.  

• Do not touch the metal part of the needle (the sharp end).
• If possible, use heavy-duty gloves, tongs or a tissue to grab the syringe by the barrel (the middle section). 
• Keep the needle pointing down and away from you when holding the syringe.
• Place the syringe, with the sharp side facing down, into a syringe disposal box or heavy plastic container like an empty sports drink bottle, laundry detergent or bleach container.
• Bring the container to a Harm Reduction Outreach Services site or an outdoor disposal box. 

For more information about Louisville’s Harm Reduction Outreach Services Program and overdose prevention, visit the “Harm Reduction” webpage at louisvilleky.gov.