Nine of Indiana's 92 counties have needle exchanges. They started after a 2015 HIV outbreak in Scott County.

The state approved its first needle exchange in 2015 after a serious HIV epidemic, fueled by intravenous drug use, broke out in downstate Scott County.

House lawmakers approved legislation Tuesday to make it easier for locals to establish syringe exchange programs.

A bill that would give Indiana counties and municipalities the ability to set up their own syringe exchanges passed its first hurtle Wednesday.

Tippecanoe County has become Indiana's ninth with a declared public health emergency - an intermediate step in establishing a needle exchange in the county.

The Indiana bill legalizing needle exchanges refers to the services as syringe exchange programs, and most counties' terminology has followed suit. But earlier this month, Allen County announced the establishment of a syringe services program.

The county originally planned to partner with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to run the exchange, but that plan fell apart.

Wayne County ranks fourth in the state in Hepatitis C cases. They will work with Centerstone and Reed Health regional hospital to fund and staff the program.

The Allen County Board of Commissioners approved a needle exchange program to curb the spread of hepatitis C and HIV with a 2-1 vote.