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90_SB0147 20 ILCS 2310/55.85 new Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Public Health, working with existing AIDS prevention and outreach programs, shall establish a needle and syringe exchange program in the 3 counties with the highest total number of AIDS cases among intravenous drug users. Provides that participants may not receive more than 5 needles or syringes per exchange. Requires programs to monitor the return rates of needles and syringes and the behavior of program participants. Requires the Department to submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the program to the General Assembly by December 31, 1998. Effective July 1, 1997. LRB9001154MWpc LRB9001154MWpc 1 AN ACT to amend the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois 2 by adding Section 55.85. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is 6 amended by adding Section 55.85 as follows: 7 (20 ILCS 2310/55.85 new) 8 Sec. 55.85. Needle exchange program. 9 (a) The Department of Public Health shall establish a 10 demonstration needle and syringe exchange program in the 11 county, multiple county, or municipal health departments 12 (local health departments) located in the 3 counties with the 13 highest total number of cases of acquired immunodeficiency 14 syndrome (AIDS) among intravenous drug users as of December 15 31, 1996. The Department may authorize no more than 3 16 similar programs in other areas of the State, as determined 17 by the Director. 18 (b) The demonstration project shall provide a free and 19 anonymous needle and syringe exchange. Participants shall 20 receive a number of needles and syringes equal to the number 21 that they return, but participants may not receive more than 22 5 needles or syringes per exchange. For the first year of 23 the program all needles and syringes shall be marked and 24 checked to facilitate calculating return rates. The 25 demonstration program shall work with existing AIDS 26 prevention and outreach programs in the selected counties, 27 provide information on the transmission of the human 28 immunodeficiency virus and prevention measures, and assist 29 program participants in obtaining drug treatment services. 30 (c) During the first year of operation, each 31 demonstration program shall monitor and evaluate (i) the -2- LRB9001154MWpc 1 return rates of distributed needles and syringes, (ii) 2 changes in the behavior of program participants, such as 3 needle sharing or condom use, (iii) the number of 4 participants in each program, (iv) the number of program 5 participants who seek drug treatment and the status of their 6 treatment, and (v) the incidence of intravenous drug use. 7 The Department may establish additional evaluation and 8 monitoring criteria for subsequent years. The Department 9 shall submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the 10 needle exchange program to the General Assembly on or before 11 December 31, 1998. 12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on 13 July 1, 1997.