ACTUP
The first US needle exchange program was launched in mid-1988 by Dave Purchase in Tacoma, Washington. The Tacoma needle exchange was funded by Purchase and private donations for only a few months, as Pierce County's recognition of the program's utility promptly galvanized county-level programmatic and financial support. In February of 1989, a grassroots organization, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACTUP), followed Purchase's lead and implemented Seattle's first needle exchange at Boren Ave. and Pike St, which was moved two weeks later to 2nd Ave. and Pike St. Public Health-Seattle and King County (then named Seattle-King County Department of Public Health (SKDPH)) immediately offered the exchange disposal services, began staffing the exchange one month later, and by late 1989 the exchange was fully integrated into and operated by SKDPH. SKDPH opened three new locations throughout south Seattle in 1990.
SOS
That same year, Bob Quinn, a volunteer from Seattle's 2nd Ave. and Pike St. exchange, began a new exchange in the University District on University Way NE, just north of NE 43rd St. In 1992 SKDPH began providing Quinn with supplies and from 1993 to 1997 he was a contracted employee of SKDPH. When Public Health-Seattle and King County shifted the contract from Quinn to Street Outreach Services (SOS) in 1998, the location of the exchange also shifted to its current location, in the alley behind 15th Ave. NE, and between NE 42nd St. and NE 43rd St. This exchange was operated by Public Health-Seattle and King County until August 2007, at which time the public health department withdrew its contract from SOS.
PHRA
The University District exchange was left to operate with whatever supplies were inherited by SOS and, initially, no substantial funding. The exchange, now privately run by Shilo Murphy (former SOS employee), volunteer operated, and minimally supported by syringe donations from Public Health-Seattle and King County, is called People's Harm Reduction Alliance (PHRA). In the past few years, PHRA has been able to expand their services almost exponentially with little funding and much support from volunteers and the community. The exchange has expanded to 7 days a week and is now offering Hepatitis C testing, vein care, and delivery service to anywhere in King County. In 2008, PHRA exchanged 1.89 million syringes, making it by far the largest needle exchange program in WA State.
News Articles 1997-98
Here are some great articles about Bob's fight:
http://dailyuw.com/1998/6/4/needle.6.3/
http://dailyuw.com/1998/5/1/needles.5198/
http://dailyuw.com/1997/11/24/im.112497/
http://dailyuw.com/1997/4/8/needle040897/