An eastern Indiana county has approved a contract for a hospital to take over its needle exchange program.
The Fayette County Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a contract with Fayette Regional Health System allowing it to take over the program.
The Connersville News-Examiner reports the contract states that Fayette County will not pay the hospital to run the program.
The program has been operated by the Fayette County Health Department. The hospital hired the Health Department nurse who had operated the program, and the county Health Board agreed that the program could move with her.
Hospital CEO Randy White says it's close to finding a location for the exchange program.
Indiana began authorizing the exchanges in 2015 following an HIV outbreak in southern Indiana's Scott County linked to nee! dle-sharing.