A Positive Alternative
4649 Sunnyside Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103
Downtown Emergency Service Center
Also known as Main Administration
Address: 515 3rd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 · Map
Phone: (206) 464-1570
Intake: (206) 464-6454
Website: desc.org
Services reported to SAMHSA
- Levels of care
- Outpatient
- Treatment focus
- Substance use treatment · Mental health treatment · Treatment for co-occurring disorders plus serious mental illness (SMI) in adults
- Facility type
- Outpatient mental health facility
- Medications used
- Chlorpromazine · Fluphenazine · Haloperidol · Loxapine · Perphenazine · Prochlorperazine · Thioridazine · Trifluoperazine · Aripiprazole · Asenapine · Brexpiprazole · Cariprazine · Clozapine · IIoperidone · Lurasidone · Olanzapine · Olanzapine/Fluoxetine combination · Paliperidone · Quetiapine · Risperidone · Ziprasidone · Nicotine replacement · Non-nicotine smoking/tobacco cessation · Antipsychotics used in treatment of SMI
- Treatment approaches
- Activity therapy · Cognitive behavioral therapy · Dialectical behavior therapy · Group therapy · Integrated Mental and Substance Use Disorder treatment · Individual psychotherapy · Telemedicine/telehealth therapy · Abnormal involuntary movement scale
- Education and counseling
- Smoking/vaping/tobacco cessation counseling
- Special programs
- Persons 18 and older with serious mental illness (SMI)
- Ages accepted
- Young Adults · Adults · Seniors
- Payment accepted
- County or local government funds · Medicaid · Other State funds · Cash or self-payment · State mental health agency (or equivalent) funds
- Ownership
- Private non-profit organization
- Recovery support
- Housing services · Mentoring/peer support
- Other services
- Court-ordered outpatient treatment · Intensive case management · Psychosocial rehabilitation services · Case management service · Suicide prevention services
Facility-provided information
- Care offered
- Outpatient · Co-Occurring Mental Health
- Substances treated
- Co-Occurring Disorders · Drug Addiction
- Therapies
- 1-on-1 Counseling · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy · Life Skills · Medication-Assisted Treatment · Motivational Interviewing · Online Therapy · Relapse Prevention Counseling · Trauma-Specific Therapy
- Who it serves
- Men · Women · Young Adults
- Aftercare
- Continuing Care · Employment Counseling · Outpatient Treatment · Support Meetings
- Languages
- English
Questions to ask Downtown Emergency Service Center
- Is my specific plan in network, and do you need prior authorization before admission?
- How many hours a week is the outpatient or IOP schedule, and are evening groups available?
- If I need medication for opioid or alcohol use disorder, do you prescribe it or refer out?
- Do you treat mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety at the same time?
- Is there a waitlist, and how soon can you do an assessment?
- What happens after the program ends: aftercare, alumni groups or step-down care?
Also confirm the facility is licensed by Washington. If you are withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines, ask about medical detox; do not stop suddenly on your own.
Paying for treatment at Downtown Emergency Service Center
Downtown Emergency Service Center reports accepting Medicaid, Self-pay. With Washington Medicaid, treatment is usually covered at little or no cost, though some levels of care need prior authorization. Most private plans must cover substance use treatment on terms comparable to other medical care under federal parity law.
Distance to specialized care from Seattle
Measured from the population center of King County, using SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap:
- Nearest medical detox: Seattle, about 3.8 miles
- Nearest methadone clinic (OTP): Seattle, about 3.8 miles (26 within 25 miles)
- Nearest buprenorphine (Suboxone) provider: Seattle, about 3.4 miles (41 within 25 miles)
See the King County treatment map, methadone clinics near King County and Suboxone doctors near King County.
Frequently asked questions
What services does Downtown Emergency Service Center offer?
Downtown Emergency Service Center reports these levels of care to SAMHSA: Outpatient, Dual diagnosis. Call to confirm current services and openings.
Does Downtown Emergency Service Center accept insurance?
It reports accepting Medicaid, Self-pay. Ask whether your specific plan is in network before admission.
Where is Downtown Emergency Service Center located?
515 3rd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.
How far is the nearest medical detox from Seattle?
From the center of King County, the closest program offering medical detox is in Seattle, about 3.8 miles away (straight-line), based on SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap.
Other treatment facilities in Seattle
AMFM Mental Health Treatment
6900 East Green Lake Way N Suite G, Seattle, WA 98115
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way South, Seattle, WA 98144
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way South, Seattle, WA 98144
Center for Human Services
17018 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98155
Center for Human Services
17018 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98155
See all 82 facilities in Seattle · Detox · Residential · Outpatient · Intensive outpatient · MAT · Methadone
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Facility details come from SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov locator and facility-provided information. Confirm services, availability and payment directly with the facility.