Substance Use Disorder assessment

Prioritizing DESC PSH tenants

Guided by trauma-informed principles, DESC has changed the way we deliver Substance Use Disorders (SUD) program services. This shift prioritizes serving individuals who live in DESC’s Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), recognizing the unique needs and challenges they face. We have also expanded our services to benefit a broader range of individuals living in our PSH, fostering a safe and supportive environment for healing and recovery.

Every DESC PSH tenant now has access to a comprehensive range of care options. These include individual and group counseling, expert case management, referrals to higher levels of care and a variety of additional support services tailored to their unique needs. Through trauma-informed harm reduction techniques and evidence-based practices, we prioritize a low-barrier, individualized, strengths-based approach to support each person’s journey towards healing and stability. To learn more about harm reduction, you can visit the UW’s Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center.

DESC assigns a Substance Use Disorder Case Manager to each DESC PSH site, and clients should inquire about services through that individual or through the SUD Program Clinical Supervisor, JD Hooser.

For those who are not tenants

For those in Seattle who are not DESC PSH tenants, we offer referrals to DESC’s peer support services and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, as trauma and substance use often intersect. Additionally, our dedicated SUD staff can assist with referrals and care coordination for clients interested in enrolling in outpatient community SUD treatment programs, ensuring continuity of care and support.

Read more here.