Wayne Co. begins process for needle exchange

Wayne County officials have taken the first step toward establishing a needle exchange program in the county.

Health officer Dr. David Keller has declared a health emergency, and the Wayne County Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed last week to provide a letter of support for a needle exchange program, health department Executive Director Eric Coulter said.

The state health commissioner will make the final decision on the request.

So far, three Indiana counties have been approved for needle exchange programs and each first held a public hearing before their commissioners declared a health emergency, which is a program requirement.

Coulter said the numbers of hepatitis C infections in Wayne County are high enough to qualify for emergency status, which should waive the public hearing requirement.

HIV infections also are up but not as dramatically as hepatitis C, he said.

Wayne County ranks fourth in the state in hepatitis C infections, Wayne County Commissioner Mary Anne Butters said. The county’s numbers are nearly the same as those in St. Joseph County in South Bend, a county whose population is much larger than Wayne’s, she said.

Butters said the county should hold a public hearing on the syringe exchange proposal, so all of the components of the project — why it’s needed, how it will be managed and funded, and what the outcomes could be — can be explained to the community.

Coulter said the requirement to hold a public hearing is unclear.

“We met with the commissioners informally,” Coulter said. “We presented the facts. The commissioners passed a letter of support. If we have to hold a public hearing, that’s what we’ll do.”

The request for a syringe exchange program was supported by the county health department, health board members and staff from Reid Health and Centerstone, which provides addiction treatment, Coulter said.

Indiana’s needle exchange program was launched in January in Scott County by executive order because of the high numbers of blood-borne infections resulting from heroin users sharing needles.

The Indiana General Assembly passed syringe exchange legislation this spring, which was signed by the governor in May. At this time, a syringe exchange program can be in force only for one year.

No state or federal funds may be used to finance the program, which also must include drug treatment. The legislation also prohibits law enforcement from stopping and searching a person because they have attended a syringe exchange program.

When Wayne County’s program begins, it won’t be held at the county health clinic, which already is at capacity, Coulter said.

A location in or near the downtown Richmond area likely would be sought to serve clients in the exchange program, Coulter said.

“We will know more in the next 30 days about how soon we can be up and running,” Coulter said. “So far, there is no state money to fund this program, which we think will cost $40,000 to $80,000. We’ll be looking to our partners for help. It’s a true health emergency.”