State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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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.

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