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SSP History
A Brief History of SSP in Michigan
The first SSP started in North America started in Tacoma, Washington in 1988. SSPs in Michigan began in the mid-1990’s. Prior to 2017, 5 “Legacy” SSPs existed in the state of Michigan. These programs are identified as "Legacy" programs because they operated prior to federal or state support. The rising hepatitis C and drug poisoning (overdose) death rates indicated a strong need for expansion of SSPs throughout the state. The ban on using federal funds to support SSP was relaxed in 2016 following an HIV outbreak in rural Indiana.