Public Health Emergency Declared For Madison County

Last updated on Thursday, June 25, 2015

(MADISON CO.) - State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H., declared a public health emergency for Madison County, allowing the county health department to establish a syringe exchange program for the purposes of reducing the spread of Hepatitis C.

"Madison County officials led a discussion with their community, and they submitted a detailed analysis of their Hepatitis C epidemic and their plan to combat it," said Dr. Adams. "I am confident that a syringe exchange program will be operated as part of a comprehensive public health response in Madison County. The State will be available to offer technical assistance."

Earlier this year, Senate Enrolled Act 461, authored by Senator Patricia Miller, sponsored by Representative Ed Clere, and signed into law by Governor Mike Pence, made syringe exchange programs legal in Indiana for the first time, under certain circumstances. The law lays out a set of procedural and substantive requirements that local communities must meet in order for an emergency declaration to be considered by the state health commissioner.

Steps in the process for local communities:

Local health officer declares
Epidemic of Hep-C or HIV
Primarily transmitted through IV drug use
A syringe exchange program is medically appropriate as part of a comprehensive response
County Commissioners act
Hold a public hearing
Take official action adopting the declarations of the local health officer (above)
Describe other actions taken regarding the epidemic that have proven ineffective
Request a public health emergency declaration

The Indiana State Department of Health received Madison County's request on Wednesday, June 17. Madison County is the second county in which a public health emergency has been declared. Dr. Adams declared Indiana's first public health emergency in Scott County in May. By declaring this public health emergency, the state health commissioner concurs with the declarations of the local health officer and county commissioners. By law, specific aspects of design and implementation of the program are left to local officials. No federal or state funding is provided for syringe exchange programs. For questions regarding the syringe exchange program, contact Kellie Kelley at the Madison County Health Department (756-646-9207 or kkelley@madisoncounty.in.gov). Visit the Indiana State Department of Health at www.StateHealth.in.gov for important health and safety information, or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/isdh1. For more information on the Madison County syringe exchange proposal, go to http://www.madcohealth.org/.

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