An Act To Reduce Morbidity and Mortality Related to Injected Drugs

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1341, sub-§4  is enacted to read:

Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143

Initiative: Appropriates funds for existing hypodermic apparatus exchange programs certified by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17
All Other	$0	$50,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$50,000

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143

Initiative: Appropriates funds to facilitate the growth of new hypodermic apparatus exchange programs certified by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in counties without a program.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17
All Other	$0	$25,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$25,000

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2015-16	2016-17
GENERAL FUND	$0	$75,000
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$0	$75,000

SUMMARY

This bill provides funding for existing and new hypodermic apparatus exchange programs certified by the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The center must allocate funds appropriated for existing hypodermic apparatus exchange programs among programs based on rates of intravenous drug use and negative health outcomes related to drug use in the geographic area surrounding a program and the amount of services historically provided by the program, except that funds awarded in order to facilitate the operation of programs in counties without a program may be awarded through a competitive grant process. It also provides that, unless the use of funds to support a hypodermic apparatus exchange program is prohibited by the original funding source, the department may not prohibit funds it awards to an entity involved in HIV, viral hepatitis and substance abuse issues from being used to support a hypodermic apparatus exchange program as long as the services the program provides can reasonably be expected to contribute to the desired result identified when the funding is first made available.