Services

Community Advocacy Restorative Education (CARE) Clinic

Accepting referrals beginning February 2

The CARE Clinic officially opens February 9 at OBCC Central District.

What is the Community Advocacy Restorative Education (CARE) Clinic?

The CARE Clinic is a safe, welcoming space for young people up to age 21 to get medical and behavioral healthcare if they have experienced or been exposed to trauma. It is part of Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC).

OBCC leaders, community partners and youth created the clinic together to deliver care with dignity rooted in trust, teamwork and connection. The CARE Clinic is open to all families, regardless of their ability to pay. We provide services in ways that respect young people’s rights and privacy.

Services We Offer

The CARE Clinic was designed by the community for the community. It provides routine medical and behavioral health services for young people who do not already have a healthcare team. You are welcome here even if you’re not sure yet what kind of help you need.

Our services include:

  • Routine and preventive medical visits, including vaccines.
  • Sexual and reproductive health support, such as birth control; pregnancy-related care, like visits; and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
  • Behavioral health services to treat , , and other conditions. This may include 1-on-1 therapy (in person and by video visit) and medicine. 
  • Help with concerns about smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol or using drugs, tobacco or other substances. Services may include brief substance-use counseling; information about how to reduce the risk of harm; help with quitting or cutting back; medicines; and referrals to community-based treatment.
  • Referrals to community resources that may be able to help with shelter or housing, food, financial support, support at school or other needs.
  • Quick access to appointments for other services at OBCC, including dental care, nutrition counseling, social work and more.

The CARE Clinic is a starting point for other services. During visits with the CARE Clinic team, we work on connecting young people with longer-term services, if they want, at OBCC, at Seattle Children’s and in the community.

Case management and coordination of care

We assign a navigator to each person receiving services at the CARE Clinic. This team member helps make sure the young person feels at home and gets the services and support they want, as easily as possible.

The care navigator:

  • Talks with the young person, their parent/guardian or both before the first visit to learn about the young person and see if the CARE Clinic offers the services they are looking for.
  • Schedules the first visit to meet other members of the team.
  • Leads the care conference at the first visit. This is a meeting to talk in more detail about what help the young person would like and what their goals are so we can make a care plan together.
  • Stays with the young person during their visit if the youth wants.
  • Helps at the end of the visit with things like scheduling future appointments and making referrals to other helpful organizations or resources.
  • Takes part in future clinic visits in ways that support the young person, such as helping them understand and access their care options.
  • Is available to meet with people receiving care to help them get care and support. Meetings can be by phone or in person, at the clinic or in the community. The care navigator listens to what matters most to the young person.

What’s special about the experience at the CARE Clinic?

  • Wrap-around care
    • “Wrap-around care” is a model for providing care that focuses on your strengths and recognizes your resilience.
    • It means we form a team with you — and often with other important people in your life, which could mean family, friends or other trusted members of your community. Together, we find out your goals and challenges and work to meet your needs.
    • As part of this model, we offer a range of services because we understand you’re a whole person who deserves holistic care.
    • This approach ensures you’re never navigating challenges alone. Your team stays with you from start to finish, coordinating support across all areas of your life.
  • Services and support tailored to you
    • You lead your own care with guidance from your care navigator and the rest of the clinic team. You decide what types of services and support you want, like medical services or behavioral health services, and what types of providers you want to see.
    • Our approach is flexible. We tailor each visit to what you need and want, whether that means a quick check-in or a longer appointment.
    • The CARE Clinic provides services directly to you and also serves as a connector. For example, if you don’t have a primary care provider and you want one, we can connect you with primary care. If you would like more intensive substance use services than we offer, we can connect you with those. If there’s a community organization that can help with something else you need, we make a connection with them.  
  • Trauma-informed approach

    Trauma refers to an experience that is overwhelming, frightening, unsafe or deeply upsetting. Examples include child abuse; sexual exploitation; family or community violence; substance use; being in the foster care system; being in the juvenile justice system; or other things that may cause harm or fear.

    People can have trauma because of something that happened to them or to people they care about or because they witnessed what happened. Trauma can come from one major event or from ongoing situations that wear on a person over time.

    We understand that past stress or difficult experiences can affect how people feel and interact. We focus on creating a safe, welcoming space where you are treated with respect, your voice matters and you get to make choices about your care. Our goal is to support healing, build trust and work with you at your own pace.

    No matter who you are or what you have been through, we welcome and accept you without judgment.

    We design your care so that you do not have to tell the story of your trauma over and over to different members of your care team.

  • Respect for your rights and privacy
    • We will talk with you up front about your rights to choose care and keep your care private. We only share your information with people involved in your care unless you give permission or the law requires it for safety. If you have any questions about this, please ask us.
    • Under Washington state law, young people can get these types of care without their parent’s or guardian’s permission:
      • Birth control and pregnancy-related care
      • Behavioral healthcare (if age 13 or older)
      • Alcohol and drug treatment (if age 13 or older)
      • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS (if age 14 or older)
    • Your medical records about the types of care listed above are private if you meet the age requirement. This means we do not share the information with parents or guardians without your permission.
    • If you or someone else is in immediate danger, we will notify parents or guardians and work together to keep everyone safe.
    • If you want your care to be confidential from your parent or guardian, please talk about this with the care navigator during your intake call.

How to Get Services at the CARE Clinic

If you are a young person who would like services, or if you know a young person who would like services, you can call the clinic or submit a referral form. Anyone can fill out the form — you can fill it out to get care for yourself, or you can use it to refer your child or someone else to the clinic.

  • Call the CARE Clinic at 206-884-4001.
  • Fill out the referral form online and submit it.

We will contact you about scheduling an appointment. There is not a way to schedule CARE Clinic appointments online.

If you are already a CARE Clinic patient: You can schedule a follow-up with the CARE team or the OBCC Dental Clinic by calling the OBCC scheduling line at 206-987-7210. Let them know you are a CARE Clinic patient.

  • What happens next after I submit a referral?

    A care navigator will contact the young person, parent or guardian (depending on the situation) to ask about the services they are interested in. Typically, this is a phone call that takes about 20 minutes.

    If we offer the services you are looking for, the care navigator will schedule an appointment for you and explain more about what to expect. First appointments take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Appointments can be in person or by telehealth (video).

    If we don’t offer the services you are looking for, we will refer you to other resources that might be able to help.

  • How long will it take to hear from the care navigator?

    The care navigator will contact you by the end of the next business day. (Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The referral form asks about your preferred contact method and preferred days and times. Let us know what’s best for you and if there are times you are not available.

  • What if I don’t have a phone?

    We’ll contact you in whatever way works best for you — whether that’s using someone else’s phone, email or text. Put your preferred contact method on the referral form.

    Or you can schedule a time to reach out to us instead. To schedule a time, you can call the CARE Clinic at 206-884-4001, email the CARE Clinic or drop in to an OBCC clinic during business hours and ask about becoming a CARE Clinic patient.

  • What if I don’t have a way to get to the clinic?

    If you need help getting to the clinic, which is at OBCC Central District, let us know when we schedule your appointment. We may be able to coordinate transportation for you.

    See a map and directions, including details about driving and free parking.

    Bus: The closest bus stop is on S Jackson Street near 18th Avenue S. This is route 14. Other routes also pass nearby. Learn more from King County Metro.

    Link light rail: The International District/Chinatown Link light rail station is located at S Jackson Street and 5th Avenue S. Learn more from Sound Transit.

  • What if I’m not sure if the CARE Clinic is the right place for me?

    As a person receiving care at the CARE Clinic, you are in control of your care. We won’t rush you or pressure you, and you can take your time deciding what feels right. Your goals and choices can change at any point. If you are not sure if the CARE Clinic is right for you and you want to know more, please feel free to contact us to ask questions. Call the CARE Clinic at 206-884-4001 or email the CARE Clinic.

  • If I’m not the young person, parent or guardian, will I hear back?

    If you referred a young person and you are not their parent or guardian, we will not be able to provide information back to you about the person’s care. This is to protect their privacy. However, we may get in touch with you if we have questions about the referral form you submitted.

    A young person, parent or guardian can choose to fill out and sign a release of information form (PDF) (Spanish) if they want to give us permission to share information with somebody else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who’s on the team?

The CARE Clinic team includes medical providers, behavioral health therapists, care navigators and other caring professionals to help with a wide range of needs.

Contact Us

Contact the CARE Clinic at 206-884-4001 for an appointment or more information. You can also email the CARE Clinic.

Paying for Care

OBCC is here to provide care to your children, regardless of your ability to pay. We accept most insurance plans and care for those who are uninsured. Learn about paying for care at Seattle Children’s, including insurance coverage, billing and financial assistance.