Substance Use Disorder Treatment
The Substance Use Disorders Team serves clients who may be, or are considering changing their use patterns, using substances in a safer manner, seeking medication assisted treatment (MAT), or working toward stopping use altogether. Using harm-reduction techniques and evidence-based practices, we serve each client using a low-barrier, individualized, strengths-based approach.
The team specializes in providing treatment for people living with co-occurring disorders, so is highly integrated with our mental health case management teams.
Assessment for substance-use disorder treatment services is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Effective October 2022, intake assessment for new clients is temporarily limited to the following hours:
- Every Tuesday, 1-2 p.m., at DESC’s The Clinic at Hobson Place, 2120 S. Plum St., Seattle 98144
- Every Thursday, 9:30-10:30 a.m., at DESC’s Pioneer Square office, 216 James Street, Seattle 98104
To learn more about harm reduction, visit the UW’s Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a promising way to treat opioid use disorder. MAT combines the use of medication with counseling and behavioral therapies to support people in their journeys of recovery. We launched a MAT treatment program with the lowest barriers in King County in 2018. Our program is designed for people who can’t travel to the same location each day or use traditional clinics. Treatment is available to people in our emergency shelters, outpatient programs and in supportive housing.