SCOTTSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- Scott County’s Syringe Service Program could be one step closer to ending following a commissioner’s post on social media.
The program is set to expire next summer. Last week, Commissioner Randy Julian said in a post on Facebook that he would not vote for continuing the program that started in 2015 amid a spike in HIV cases.
“I am sorry to say it but I think the addicts need to take some responsibility in how they decide to live. We all have consequences in our decisions,” Julian wrote. “The truth is the program has been in place for 6 years and we are not putting enough in place to stop the addiction.”
His Facebook page has since been deleted.
Tuesday night, nearly 100 people — including a group of local health experts — gathered for a community forum in support of keeping the program.
“If it’s one person that we can prevent this from happening to, that’s all that matters. One person’s life,” said Glenda Cox, whose son and daughter-in-law have HIV. “If it wasn’t for the program they would not have the medication and go forth for what they would need.”
The grant-funded program cost $20 million to launch in 2015, and officials fear quitting the program and having to restart it later would have a huge financial impact.
“That’s when Austin (Indiana) started changing and someone started saying, ‘Hey, we got to do something, because the whole world is looking at us ... the whole world,’” Cox said.
Julian also mentions in his Facebook post, “The grants we are receiving asks the question what are we doing to help ourselves off the program,” adding “the truth is while its expensive there is antiviral medicine to keep you from spreading the HIV virus.”
Scott County Health officials said the program has saved hundreds of lives and breaking addiction is often a long and difficult process.
“In active addiction doesn’t have the same mindset of someone who has never been in that mindset, so I think it’s really important to understand addiction and what someone is currently going through in that state of their life,” said Michelle Matern, with the Scott County Health Department.
Also, in a recent Facebook post, commissioner Mike Jones eluded he also would be voting against continuing the program. The vote needs two of the three commissioners to agree for it to pass.
Until then, those in Scott County who support the program say they will be fighting for their loved ones' lives to get it to stay.
“If we don’t keep this program that Austin, Scottsburg, any community is just going to get worse,” said Cox.
A vote is now set for June 2.
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- Scott County leaders to decide future of needle exchange program
- Scott County sees drastic decrease in HIV and hepatitis C cases since 2015 epidemic
- New CDC report says needle exchange in Scott County, Indiana, is working
- Research shows fewer people are sharing needles thanks to exchange program
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