[ Search ] [ Legislation ] [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
90_SB1263 20 ILCS 2310/55.89 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 5 counties with the highest total number of AIDS cases among intravenous drug users. Provides that participants shall receive a number of needles and syringes equal to the number that they return. 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, 1999. Effective July 1, 1998. LRB9009152MWmg LRB9009152MWmg 1 AN ACT to amend the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois 2 by adding Section 55.89. 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 55.89 as follows: 7 (20 ILCS 2310/55.89 new) 8 Sec. 55.89. 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 5 counties with the 13 highest total number of cases of acquired immunodeficiency 14 syndrome (AIDS) among intravenous drug users as of December 15 31, 1997. 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. For the first year of the program all 22 needles and syringes shall be marked and checked to 23 facilitate calculating return rates. The demonstration 24 program shall work with existing AIDS prevention and outreach 25 programs in the selected counties, provide information on the 26 transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus and 27 prevention measures, and assist program participants in 28 obtaining drug treatment services. 29 (c) During the first year of operation, each 30 demonstration program shall monitor and evaluate (i) the 31 return rates of distributed needles and syringes, (ii) -2- LRB9009152MWmg 1 changes in the behavior of program participants, such as 2 needle sharing or condom use, (iii) the number of 3 participants in each program, (iv) the number of program 4 participants who seek drug treatment and the status of their 5 treatment, and (v) the incidence of intravenous drug use. 6 The Department may establish additional evaluation and 7 monitoring criteria for subsequent years. The Department 8 shall submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the 9 needle exchange program to the General Assembly on or before 10 December 31, 1999. 11 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on 12 July 1, 1998.