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Last updated on Wednesday, February 10, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - Monroe County’s needle exchange program will start operating the week of February 14.
The state approved the exchange in December because of an increase in Hepatitis C cases.
The non-profit Indiana Recovery Alliance will run the program, which will travel to different locations throughout Monroe County to distribute syringes.
They'll be provided to participants on an as-needed basis.
Monroe County Health Department Administrator Penny Caudill says people shouldn't be afraid to take advantage of the services because the program is confidential and doesn't require the collection of personal information.
"This is about protecting people and saving lives," Caudill says. "And we want people who need the services to not be afraid to access them."
Indiana law doesn't allow for state funding of syringe exchange programs, so the exchange is being paid for with a $15,000 grant from the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis and AIDS United.
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