A bill continuing Indiana’s Syringe Exchange Programs passed the Senate Tuesday.
SB 91would allow counties to provide programs that dispose of used syringes and provide sterile supplies. Eight counties have hosted a syringe exchange since 2015, and six are currently running.
Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield) authored the bill to continue the programs into 2036. If the bill fails, all programs will sundown in July.
“Individuals that participate in the program have clearly recognized that their behavior is risky and they're seeking out options,” Crider said. “They’re six times more likely to safely dispose of the syringes that they receive, and they're five times more likely, if they participate in the program, to actually enter treatment and seek treatment.”
The bill passed the Senate 33-13 and heads to the House.
Syringe exchanges became legal in Indiana after an HIV outbreak in 2015, with more 230 infections stemming from injected drug use.
The bill requires the programs to accept syringes from anyone and dispose of them safely. The programs also provide HIV and hepatitis C testing, overdose response education and treatment referrals. Though programs are anonymous, they do assign identification numbers to participants, Crider said.
According to legislative documents, a federal grant covers all program-related costs for the Indiana Department of Health. State funds cannot be used to purchase syringes or needles.
Some senators objected to the bill and the premise of providing supplies that could be used for drug use.
“You have a government acting and giving them everything but the heroin,” said Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Freeman).
Tippecanoe County currently operates a Syringe Exchange Program. Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) said the county’s program has distributed 240,000 clean syringes and collected 420,000 used syringes. In the last five years, hepatitis C cases decreased by about 60 percent, and overdoses have decreased by about 50 percent. HIV cases have not increased.
It has made more than 4,500 referrals for recovery and support services, Alting said.
“If you look at perception, perception of the bill, boy, it's ugly,” Alting said. “It's real ugly, but it's working.”
Crider said his own experiences as in law enforcement and as security director in a Greenfield hospital inspired the bill. He said he interacted with people in a crisis mode of addiction, and after listening to their stories, he learned many people cannot manage it by themselves.
He said he prefers to call the programs “syringe services,” instead of exchanges.
“Because when an individual shows up, they're kind of go through an interview process,” Crider said. “They're asked like, ‘What's your current status? How many times a day are you using, and are you using clean needles each time? And what's your behavior like? And how can we help you learn how to take care of yourself better and take care of those around you?’”
