JEFFERSONVILLE — Clark County's syringe exchange program distributed about 500 needles to just six people on its first day of operations Thursday.
Health Officer Dr. Kevin Burke, who wasn't surprised by the high volume of needles requested, called it a "slow start."
Still, he feels the program's first day foreshadows its popularity in Clark County, which has HIV and hepatitis C rates 30 percent higher than the rest of the state.
"I know [the exchange in] Scott County was open for three days before they had their first needle distribution," Burke said. "So we feel good about the fact that the word got out enough to have people come in."
THE EXCHANGE, as the its called in Clark County, is possible through legislation passed in 2015 that allows counties to administer syringe exchanges — but only through state approval.
Now, a bill is making its way through the legislature that would give local communities the authority to do so without OK from higher up the chain.
"We would have been doing this more than a year ago," Burke said, had that been possible as that's how long it took for state approval.
In 2016, the number of emergency room visits in Clark County for heroin overdoses more than tripled the previous year, from 50 to 160. Eighty-six people in the county died of overdoses, from heroin and other drugs.
"Clearly, if we had had a program earlier, we would have prevented death in some of those people that are no longer here," Burke said.
But Burke also pointed out that the operation of the program doesn't mean overdose deaths will no longer occur.
"As long as those people continue to use heroin, some of them that we [would have] saved in 2016 could later die because they continue to use this dangerous drug," he said.
House Bill 1438 allows the legislative body of a municipality — a city or town council — or the county commissioners to approve operation of a needle exchange.
County or municipal officials must alert the state health department when a program begins, extends, ends or comes under new leadership. Programs can be renewed for no longer than two years.
The law also requires programs stock naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug administered through the nostrils.
THE EXCHANGE already has naloxone kits on hand, distributing three on its first day of operation. A few people expressed interest in recovery programs.
Syringe exchange programs are meant to stop the spread of infection through sharing used needles. Programs also offer resources for those interested in recovery to people who otherwise may not seek it out on their own.
"The ultimate goal is to gradually help people taper down their IV drug use to the point where they're not using IV drugs," Burke said.
Among his goals for the program are also to lessen the burden on the legal system and to decrease the amount of used needles discarded in public places. Visitors brought in 400 dirty syringes on the first day — some from people who collected them off the ground.
"There's a litany of benefits that I foresee," Burke said.
The demand for clean needles has only increased. One man who visited the needle exchange requested 110 needles for one week, Burke said. That's more than 15 per day.
"What happens is with the uncertainty of potency of the heroin, what people are doing is they're injecting smaller doses more often ... " he said.
Laura Lindley, Clark County Health Department administrator, said the exchange took inventory Wednesday to determine how many needles they had.
"It doesn't count up to be as much as it looks like in the boxes," said Lindley, who wasn't sure on a number. "We were purposefully stingy about the numbers that we bought because we weren't sure what they were going to want."
She spoke to visitors to get their input on what they need so the health department knows what to buy. For example, a few people told her large gauge needles won't be requested much because they're too big.
"That is the kind of thing I need to know, because I don't want to waste our money," Lindley said.
Lindley and Burke consider the first day a success.
"People are satisfied with the service and feel like we aren't judgmental or critical," Burke said. "They'll be more likely to tell their friends it's a place to go to get needles and supplies to decrease the use of dirty needles."