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Congress lifts ban on federal funding of needle exchange programs

As part of the budget deal made in December 2015, Congress lifted its ban on federal funding of needle exchange programs, according to a press release from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

Federal funding for needle exchange programs was first banned by Congress in 1988. The ban was then lifted in 2009 but reinstated in 2011.

The change will allow federal funding for needle exchange program staff, vans, substance abuse counseling, referral to treatment services and outreach in at-risk communities. However, funding is not allowed for syringes themselves, according to the release.

“The opioid epidemic is having a devastating effect on communities throughout Kentucky and the nation,” according to a statement from the office of Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., senate majority leader. “As more people inject drugs like heroin, rates of hepatitis C and HIV have been on the rise.”

To address this issue, Sen. McConnell worked with Appropriations Committee chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., to pass legislation that provided flexibility to access federal funding for treatment and education efforts in some Kentucky counties.

The CDC will identify at-risk communities and programs where funds can be used and the National Council will continue to monitor the situation during the implementation process, according to the release.