WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. -- A public health emergency has been declared in Wayne County, Indiana, leading the way for the county to establish syringe exchange program.
The public health emergency was declared by State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams in an effort to reduce the spread of hepatitis C.
“Every Indiana community should know its risk factors for an outbreak similar to the one that occurred in Scott County, and rising hepatitis C rates are a key indicator of injection drug use that can spread disease,” Adams said. “By identifying troubling risk factors and developing a comprehensive plan to address it, Wayne County is showing its commitment to protecting the health of its citizens and its communities.”
Public health emergencies have previously been declared in Madison, Monroe, Fayette and Scott Counties.
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According to the Indiana State Department of Health, syringe exchange programs are legal in Indiana under certain conditions:
A local health officer must:
- Declare that an epidemic of hepatitis C or HIV exists
- Determine that it is primarily transmitted through IV drug use
- Deem that a syringe exchange program is medically appropriate as part of a comprehensive response
County commissioners must:
- Hold a public hearing
- Take official action adopting the declarations of the local health officer (above)
- Describe other actions taken regarding the epidemic that have proven ineffective
- Request a public health emergency declaration from the state
Madison County has had a needle exchange program for 10 months. Program Coordinator Stephanie Grimes said the program has seen steady growth since its inception last August.
"I feel like we are on the right track in terms of continuing this program, because we are reaching more people and they may not decide to test on the first visit or even the second, but every single time we have contact with that individual, they are that much closer to testing," Grimes said. "They are that much closer to thinking about substance abuse treatment."
No state funding is used to support syringe exchange programs.
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