History PreventionWorks! was established in October 1998 to provide needle exchange and other harm reduction services in the District of Columbia. The mission of PreventionWorks! is to curb the spread of HIV and other blood-borne diseases among injecting and other drug users, their sexual partners, and newborn children.

PreventionWorks! incorporated after the U.S. Congress passed legislation forbidding both the District of Columbia from using its local funds to support needle exchange services and private organizations that receive any federal funds from operating a needle exchange program, even if funded with private donations. As a result of the ban, Whitman-Walker Clinic, which had received DC government funds to operate a needle exchange program, ceased operations of its program. The law has since been changed to allow publicly funded organizations to use private funds to contribute to needle exchange.

PreventionWorks! operates solely on private donations. The District of Columbia is the only city in the nation barred by federal law from investing its own locally raised tax dollars to support needle exchange programs. Needle exchanges in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are all supported by state and/or local government dollars. Your support is greatly appreciated. Please visit our Donate section to support PreventionWorks!