(a) The Department of Public Health shall establish, within available appropriations, syringe services programs to enhance health outcomes of people who inject drugs in any community impacted by the human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C. The department shall establish protocols in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. The department may authorize programs, as determined by the commissioner, through local health departments or other local organizations.

(b) The programs shall: (1) Be incorporated into existing human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C outreach and prevention programs in the selected communities; (2) provide access to free and confidential exchanges of syringes; (3) provide for safe disposal or exchange of syringes; (4) provide that first-time applicants to the program receive an initial packet of syringes, educational material and a list of drug counseling services; (5) offer education on the human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C, reduction in harm caused by such viruses, and drug overdose prevention measures and assist program participants in obtaining drug treatment services; (6) provide referrals for substance abuse counseling or treatment; and (7) provide referrals for medical or mental health care.

(c) The department shall require programs to include an annual evaluation component to monitor (1) the number of syringes distributed and collected, (2) program participation rates, (3) the number of participants who are referred to treatment, and (4) the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus from injection drug use to determine if there is a reduction in the result of the syringe services program.

(d) The local health department or community-based organization of each community conducting a syringe services program shall submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the program to the Department of Public Health.

(P.A. 90-214, S. 3, 5; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-3, S. 1, 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 52, 70; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-16; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 4; P.A. 06-195, S. 4; P.A. 11-242, S. 11; P.A. 16-87, S. 1; P.A. 17-6, S. 2.)

History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-3 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize department to establish additional programs, Subsec. (b) to change requirement regarding marking of needles and syringes to apply only to first year of program, Subsec. (c) to require the department to establish evaluation and monitoring requirements and Subsec. (d) to provide for the department to compile information received from the programs; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 made a technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-16 removed limit of three additional programs and raised number of needles and syringes permitted per exchange from five to ten; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by replacing “ten syringes” with “thirty needles and syringes”, adding Subpara. (B) re first-time applicants and Subpara. (C) re assurance of one packet per person, and made technical changes; P.A. 06-195 amended Subsec. (b)(2)(A) by deleting cap of thirty needles and syringes per exchange, effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 11-242 amended Subsec. (a) by eliminating provisions specifying that programs be established in and evaluated by health departments and by requiring that programs be established in 3 cities having highest total number of HIV infections among injection drug users, amended Subsec. (b) by substituting HIV prevention programs for AIDS prevention and outreach projects in Subdiv. (1), by substituting “confidential” for “anonymous” re exchanges of needles and syringes in Subdiv. (2), by deleting former Subdiv. (2)(C) re limitation of receipt of initial packages of needles and syringes, and by deleting former Subdiv. (4) re needles and syringes to be marked and checked for return dates, amended Subsec. (c) by requiring department to establish program monitoring requirements, deleting former Subdiv. (2) re monitoring of behavioral changes, redesignating existing Subdiv. (3) as Subdivs. (2) and (3) and deleting former Subdiv. (4) re monitoring of intravenous drug use, and amended Subsec. (d) by requiring organization conducting the program to submit a report on its effectiveness and by eliminating provision re report to General Assembly; P.A. 16-87 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “within available appropriations” and replacing provision re three cities having highest number of infections with provision re enhancing outcomes of people who inject drugs, amended Subsec. (b) by adding references to hepatitis C, deleting provision re maximum of 30 needles and syringes in initial packet in Subdiv. (2)(B), adding reference to drug overdose prevention in Subdiv. (3), adding Subdiv. (4) re referrals for substance abuse counseling or treatment and adding Subdiv. (5) re referrals for medical or mental health care, amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “establish requirements” with “require programs to include an evaluation component”, replacing provision re return rates with provision re number of syringes distributed and collected in Subdiv. (1), deleting former Subdiv. (3) re number of participants motivated to enter treatment, adding new Subdiv. (3) re number of participants referred to treatment and adding Subdiv. (4) re incidence of human immunodeficiency virus from injection drug use, and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 17-6 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “needle and syringe exchange programs” with “syringe services programs”, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “hepatitis C prevention programs” with “hepatitis C outreach and prevention programs in the selected communities” in Subdiv. (1), deleted provision re receipt of equal number of needles and syringes for those returned in Subdiv. (2), adding new Subdiv. (3) re safe disposal or exchange of syringes, redesignating existing Subdiv. (2)(B) re first-time applicants as Subdiv. (4), redesignating existing Subdiv. (3) re education as Subdiv. (5) and amending same by adding “reduction in harm caused by such viruses”, redesignating existing Subdivs. (4) and (5) as Subdivs. (6) and (7), amended Subsec. (c) by adding “annual” re evaluation component, and adding “to determine if there is a reduction in the result of the syringe services program” in Subdiv. (4), and amended Subsec. (d) by adding reference to local health department, and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 2017.