HEP provides local services in Seattle (King County) for patients.
Scroll to learn more about our local programs.
Major Goals and Priorities
Facilitate linkage to hepatitis C treatment for 1,000 people in King County
Catalyze a countywide hepatitis B elimination initiative with a focus on convening partners to increase vaccination, testing, and linkage to care.
Pilot and scale-up innovations to close gaps in linkage to care
Strengthen existing partnerships and pursue new collaborations within high-impact settings to raise the number of people getting tested and treated for hepatitis C
Build targeted partnerships to drive significant increases in hepatitis B screening and vaccination among the communities at highest risk for HBV
Augment harm reduction work to respond aggressively to overdose crisis
Serve as referral pathway for clients to other essential health and social services
Viral Hepatitis Care Coordination
Get Tested, Get Treated, Get Cured.
HEP’s care coordinators work one-to-one with people who have hepatitis C, facilitating access to treatment and resources, from diagnosis to cure and beyond. All services are free and no insurance is required.
Services we offer:
Meet with a care coordinator during your first visit to help us understand how we can best assist you
Get tested for hepatitis C for free
Link you to care if you’ve already tested positive for hepatitis C
Find a primary care physician and/or specialist
Assist with health insurance sign up
Share information on current and upcoming hep C treatment options
Advocate for fair access to hep C treatment medications
Offer information about community resources
Navigate insurance denials with clients and providers
Empower you to take control of your own medical decisions
Provide a non-judgmental and supportive environment at all times
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We offer monovalent hepatitis A or B vaccine, as well as a combination vaccine.
The monovalent series is 2 doses, with several weeks between doses. Monovalent hep A = 2 doses six months apart; Monovalent hep B = 2 doses one month apart
The combination vaccine is 3 doses, with several weeks between doses. We will provide you with a reminder card after each dose so you can remember when to return! Combination = three doses 0, 1, 6 months from initial dose, 5 months between second and third doses
No appointment necessary! Recommended to call ahead and confirm there is a provider available.
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Rapid Antibody Testing - Find out your results today!
A finger prick test that checks for exposure to hepatitis C.
It does NOT confirm an active infection. About 75% of people exposed to the hepatitis C virus develop a chronic infection, and only a PCR (also know as an RNA test or a viral load test) can confirm active infection.
Results after 20 minutes! (Perk: $5 gift card!)
If the test result is reactive, we will connect you with confirmatory testing.
Confirmatory PCR Testing
Individuals who have a reactive HCV antibody test should be tested to determine whether or not they resolved the infection or developed a chronic hepatitis C infection.
A blood draw that tests for active hepatitis C infection.
Results typically take one week and can determine if an individual may need hepatitis C treatment. (Perk: $15 gift card, or $20 when combined with hepatitis B test results!)
If your results are positive, then we will connect you with medical case management if you like, or provide you with options for referrals as needed.
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The test can tell you whether or not you need to be vaccinated for hepatitis B, whether or not you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B, and whether or not you have a hepatitis B infection.
A blood draw that can easily be obtained alongside a hepatitis C confirmatory test!
Results can take up to one week and can determine if someone is in need of the hepatitis B vaccine, has been exposed or is chronically infected. (Perk: $15 gift card, or $20 when combined with hepatitis C PCR test results!) Incentives are given when receiving test results.
Have you already tested positive? Do you feel unsure about next steps? We can help!
Complete our self-referral form or give us a call at (206) 732-0311, and we’ll be in touch to figure out how we can assist you.
Filling out this form means you’re asking to be connected to a service provider in your area who’s able to meet a social or medical need that you or someone in your care may have. Once completed, this form is sent to the coordination center in the region where you’d like to receive care or services, and someone from that coordination center will contact you within two business days. The information you enter is completely confidential and there is no cost for this service. Please use this form only to request services for yourself or a child (under 18 years old) or adult for whom you have legal guardianship. Consent submitted through this form should be signed by the person who would be receiving services or by their parent or legal guardian only.
The Seattle STEP Clinic
Seattle STEP Clinic is a collaboration combining the harm reduction mission of Hepatitis Education Project with the medical services of Seattle Roots Community Health. Our evidence-based, low-barrier approach to care centers the needs and goals of each client individually to provide wrap-around care.
New patients: Walk-in appointments Tuesday–Thursday, 1:00p.m.–3:30p.m.
Returning patients: Walk-in appointments or by phone at (206) 732-0311 , Tuesday–Thursday, 1:00p.m.–4:30p.m.
Services we offer:
Free medications to reduce or cease opiate use offered same-day, including Suboxone (buprenorphine, “subs”) and Vivitrol (naltrexone), and medications to ease withdrawal symptoms
Help enrolling in health insurance and navigating healthcare resources
Basic medical care such as treatment of skin infections, urinary tract infections, contraception
Substance use disorder/drug and alcohol assessments
Referrals for court-ordered assessments/treatment
Did you know?
Appointment times are scheduled, and we ask that you try your best to make it on time. We understand if things come up, which is why we offer walk-in appointments without calling in advance.
There is no penalty for late, rescheduled, or missed appointments.
Prescriptions for buprenorphine are generally provided on the first day.
Substance use and behavioral health counseling are not required to receive medication.
Urine drug tests that indicate substance use are not used to deny prescriptions.
We will not turn you away for lack of insurance, ID, or address.
Harm Reduction Services
HEP’s in-house Safer Supplies Program (SSP) is open 4 days a week, Mon–Thu, 12:30–5:30 p.m. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be there to greet you, provide harm reduction supplies and information, offer resources and referrals, and answer any questions you might have.
Supplies and services we offer:
Sterile syringes and safe disposal of used syringes
Injectable naloxone and naloxone nasal spray (Narcan)
Other infectious disease prevention supplies such as alcohol pads, gauze, bandages, and safer sex supplies
Essentials like water, clothing, and hygiene supplies as available
Safer use consultation and overdose prevention education
Drug checking service
It’s free and anonymous.
We currently offer drug checking as a drop-off service, where you can drop off a small sample during HEP’s open hours and have results relayed back to you within the span of a week.
Using a special machine called a spectrometer, we’re able to test drug samples to see what’s actually in them. It detects things like fentanyl, xylazine, and other common cuts, and all it takes is a sample the size of a grain of rice.
This is a free, anonymous service — we will not collect your information.
Community Outreach
We will meet you where you are.
HEP’s Prevention & Outreach Program team provides weekly street-based outreach to encampments across Seattle. We also have a growing number of partnerships with local organizations where our staff regularly visit their sites to provide rapid hepatitis C testing and education about viral hepatitis.