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Downtown Emergency Service Center

515 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
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Downtown Emergency Service Center WA 98104

About Downtown Emergency Service Center

Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is a nonprofit substance use treatment provider and behavioral health organization in Seattle, Washington.

DESC offers state licensed outpatient substance use disorder treatment, mental health care, and low barrier opioid support as part of a broader continuum that includes housing, outreach, and crisis services.

Their Housing First model is designed to meet adults where they are pairing recovery support with long term stability.

What addiction treatment programs does DESC offer?

DESC provides general and intensive outpatient substance use treatment, dual diagnosis care, and supervised withdrawal support.

Services include counseling and relapse prevention, motivational interviewing and CBT, 12 step based approaches, and medication assisted treatment such as buprenorphine. The ORCA Center adds urgent post overdose stabilization and walk-in opioid use support.

Who can get help here?

DESC primarily serves adults experiencing long term homelessness who are also navigating serious mental illness and substance use disorders, trauma, or complex medical conditions.

Programming is available for adults with a strong focus on low barrier voluntary care for clients who may not fit into traditional rehab settings.

What payment options are accepted?

DESC accepts Medicaid, self pay, and government funding. Some programs also accept Access to Recovery vouchers helping reduce financial barriers for vulnerable adults.

Similar Rehab Centers

Edited by:
Kimberly Hawkins, MSc

Facility Overview

Bed icon 20
Number of Available Beds

Latest Reviews

Byron “TUFFY” Allen
2 years ago on Google
5
Helping homeless get back on there feet
James Trevino
3 years ago on Google
5
They have helped me get back on my feet, and get free medical.
Christina Hebert
3 years ago on Google
5
Great staff amazing services
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Rehab Score

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Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full MethodologyCaret icon
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5.9 / 10

Other Forms of Payment

Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.

Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) are for those who want or need a very structured treatment program but who also wish to live at home and continue with certain responsibilities (such as work or school). IOP substance abuse treatment programs vary in duration and intensity, and certain outpatient rehab centers will offer individualized treatment programs.

Treatments

The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.

Effective drug rehab in Washington integrates care for the whole person, offering comprehensive solutions to addiction. Treatment methods address mental, physical, and relational aspects of substance abuse.

Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.

Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.

Programs

Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.

Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.

Clinical Services

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking. It uses products that supply low doses of nicotine to help people stop smoking. The goal of therapy is to cut down on cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Staff

Daniel Malone

Executive Director

Nicole Macri

Deputy Director for Strategy

Steven Bullock

Deputy Director of Operations

Noah Fay

Senior Director of Housing Programs

Patrick Gehring

CFO

Richard Waters, MD

Medical Director

Jon Scholes

President & CEO

Rehab.com regularly reviews this listing for accuracy but changes may occur between updates. For the most up-to-date information, please contact Downtown Emergency Service Center.

Contact Information

Building icon

515 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

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Reviews of Downtown Emergency Service Center

3.63/5 (90 reviews)
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Reviews

1

The only thing that people working here care for is to get paid, it is sad that I have been to 7 different centers and none of them has helped me even a little bit.

Reviewed on 2/15/2019
Overall Experience
Date Submitted
Reviewer

Google Reviews

3.66 (89 reviews)
Gregory Wayne Cage jr
1 month ago
4

Honestly
2 months ago
1

Sheena Carector
4 months ago
1

So far Dan Malone won't tell me what Sarah Marks did with my property and ruined my entire life 😭 I don't recommend dealing with these people my building had rats and roaches so bad that it was impossible to function I got really sick as a result and after years of being homeless they threw me into the streets even though I didn't do anything wrong

종남김 (MC)
8 months ago
1

Beyond terrible. Refused to provide me services based on a condition that I don’t even have. Happy to send me away unsatisfied.

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