(a) The Baltimore City Health Department shall include in its Program operating procedures measures to collect the following data:
(1) The number of participants served by the Program;
(2) The length of time a participant is served by the Program;
(3) Demographic profiles of participants served by the Program that include:
(i) Age;
(ii) Sex;
(iii) Race;
(iv) Occupation;
(v) Zip code of residence;
(vi) Types of drugs used;
(vii) Length of drug use; and
(viii) Frequency of injection;
(4) The number of hypodermic needles and syringes exchanged;
(5) The number of participants entering drug counseling and treatment; and
(6) The number of referrals made by the Program for drug counseling and treatment.
Plan for Program evaluation
(b) With the advice and approval of the oversight committee, the Baltimore City Health Department shall develop and implement a plan for Program evaluation that shall include the following issues:
(1) The prevalence of HIV among Program participants;
(2) Changes in the level of drug use among Program participants;
(3) Changes in the level of needle-sharing among Program participants;
(4) Changes in the use of condoms among Program participants;
(5) The status of treatment and recovery for Program participants who entered drug treatment programs;
(6) The impact of the Program on risk behaviors for the transmission of the HIV infection, the hepatitis B virus, and other life-threatening blood-borne diseases among injecting drug users;
(7) The cost-effectiveness of the Program versus the direct and indirect costs of the HIV infection in terms of medical treatment and other services normally required by HIV-infected individuals;
(8) The strengths and weaknesses of the Program; and
(9) The advisability of continuing the Program.
Hypodermic needles and syringes
(c) As part of its plans for data collection and Program evaluation described under subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the Baltimore City Health Department shall develop and implement a methodology:
(1) For identifying Program hypodermic needles and syringes, such as through the use of bar coding or any other method approved by the oversight committee; and
(2) To perform HIV antibody testing on the residue left in a sample of hypodermic needles and syringes returned to the Program.
Reporting requirements
(d) On or before December 31 of each year, the Baltimore City Health Department shall report to the oversight committee, the Governor, and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly, on the number of hypodermic needles and syringes exchanged as part of the Program.
Credits
Added by Acts 1994, c. 360, § 1, eff. June 1, 1994. Amended by Acts 2010, c. 72, § 1, eff. April 13, 2010; Acts 2014, c. 396, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2019, c. 8, § 5.
MD Code, Health - General, § 24-806, MD HEALTH GEN § 24-806
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
