A July executive order from President Donald Trump has reshaped the operation of harm reduction programs nationwide, limiting how federal substance abuse grants may be used and prompting health departments in areas such Jeffersonville to seek alternative funding to maintain services. Photo by Dima Solomin, Unsplash.

News Release

JEFFERSONVILLE — A July executive order from President Donald Trump has reshaped the operation of harm reduction programs nationwide, limiting how federal substance abuse grants may be used and prompting health departments in areas such Jeffersonville to seek alternative funding to maintain services.

The order bars federal funds from purchasing drug-use supplies considered to facilitate illegal activity, including cookers and sterile water.

In Clark County, Indiana, health officials have removed those federally funded items from circulation and placed them in storage marked for non-use. To continue offering the supplies, administrators have turned to private donations and have restructured distribution to keep privately funded materials separate from federal resources.

The changes come as Indiana faces uncertainty over the future of syringe exchange programs.

The number of exchanges statewide has declined from nine in 2020 to six today, and the law authorizing them is scheduled to expire next year unless renewed by the Republican-led legislature. Supporters argue the programs are a proven public health tool, while opponents contend they risk enabling drug use.

Public health data frequently cited by advocates show syringe exchanges are associated with about a 50% reduction in HIV and hepatitis C infections and can serve as a gateway to treatment and testing.

Clark County officials report thousands of referrals to drug treatment and testing through their program, along with a syringe return rate exceeding 90%.

Across the country, states have taken divergent approaches. Democratic-led California has continued expanding harm reduction programs with state funding, while states such as West Virginia have enacted tighter restrictions. Advocates in Indiana warn that allowing exchanges to disappear could increase the risk of outbreaks like the 2015 drug-fueled HIV crisis that struck southern Indiana – the worst in the state’s history and a catalyst for the needle exchange legislation currently at risk of ending.