The Clark County Health Officer calls it a 'huge win' for public health in southern Indiana.

CLARK COUNTY, Ind. — An Indiana House bill amendment that looks to extend the state's syringe service program is now headed to the governor for a signature.

"It provides an additional year for the programs to continue and also an additional year for us to continue the very important conversation about syringe service programs," said Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, who authored the bill.

Clere authored the state's original syringe legislation back in 2015. He authored a bill this year to modernize language around HIV and determine terms for overdose fatality review teams, then amended it to include an extension of the syringe service programs through July of 2022.

"It's an issue I feel very strongly about," he said. "Syringe service programs have prevented countless cases of HIV and Hepatitis C and they've saved countless lives."

The amended bill passed through the House today with a final vote of 78 to 7.

"The decisions that they made today with that bill is a huge win for the public health of southern Indiana," said Clark County Health Officer Eric Yazel.

Clark County has one of just nine syringe service programs across the state of Indiana. Yazel says it's made a big difference in the county.

"Almost immediately after we started it our numbers rapidly improved," he said. "Our overdose death rate dropped in half, our ER visits related to opiates dropped in half, some of our other infections from IV drug use are down 30 to 40 percent. We've diagnosed numerous cases of HIV and Hepatitis early before they're out in the community."

He says in the last year more than 500 people came to use the Clark County syringe service program. He says he's excited to continue serving the community through the program.

"It will let us diagnose hepatitis and HIV much earlier, get people into recovery quicker and it's going to save lives so we're really excited," said Yazel.

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