Health One, a new kind of 9-1-1 response team, expands in the U District

Posted on April 15, 2021

Earlier this week, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins announced the launch of a second Health One unit to expand the program to the U District. Health One is a 9‑1‑1 response team comprised of firefighters/EMTs and case managers who are specifically trained to help people experiencing mental illness, substance use disorder and non-emergency medical issues.

With the second Health One unit becoming operational on April 15, the program will now cover the U District and Ballard in addition to the downtown core and Capitol Hill.

Each Health One unit includes two firefighters/EMTs and one case manager from the Human Services Department Aging and Disability Services Division. Unlike other emergency responders, the Health One units can spend more time with the individual in distress and connect them with the services that will help them remain stable after the team leaves the scene. This could include providing the individual a referral to a shelter, helping them schedule a next-day appointment or supplying them food and clothing.

Health One dovetails with the U District Partnership’s existing outreach program operated by REACH. The REACH Care Coordinator, David Delgado, works with individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness to help them achieve stability. Through daily outreach and ongoing relationship building, David helps homeless neighbors access essential resources including housing, health care and treatment.

Commencement 2021: Celebrating worldwide

Posted on April 14, 2021

This year’s graduating class will celebrate through a highly interactive virtual commencement. UW President Ana Mari Cauce announced the online format in an April 1 letter to graduating students. On June 12, 2021, the virtual event will include many elements of a traditional graduation to be shared across the globe with friends, family and classmates. Learn more about the virtual festivities here.

Spring quarter to continue current virtual course patterns

Posted on February 24, 2021March 8, 2021

It’s almost a year since most UW students, faculty and staff transitioned to remote class and work. With the exception of the Health Sciences schools, the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses have been quiet despite full workloads.

Most classes will remain virtual during spring quarter, as President Cauce and Provost Richards detailed in January, along with early thinking about the University’s outlook for summer and fall. If case numbers continue to fall, precautionary measures like face coverings and distancing are followed, and vaccine supply increases, it’s possible more in-person activities could happen in the next few months.

Cherry blossom season is an especially beautiful time on the Seattle campus, but again this year the best way to enjoy the blossoms will be virtually. UW will again provide live web-camera access and discourage in-person visits. View the blossom announcement here for more details.

COVID-19 testing site opens in UW parking lot E1

Posted on January 19, 2021August 25, 2022

This post contains information that was accurate at time of publication – January 2021 – but is now outdated. For current information regarding COVID Testing, please visit COVID-19 Testing and Locations | UW Medicine.

A new, free COVID-19 testing site is now available to the public in the University of Washington’s E1 parking lot off Montlake Blvd NE just south of University Village.

To schedule a test at the E1 site and view details, click here.

Testing location:
Montlake Blvd NE & Walla Walla Rd
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 477-3977

UW students, faculty or staff already enrolled in the Husky Coronavirus Testing program should continue to use access to testing through HCT rather than the new E1 site so that HCT enrollee testing data remain part of that program.

For more resources and additional COVID-19 testing locations offered by UW Medicine, visit https://www.uwmedicine.org/coronavirus/testing

For more resources and additional COVID-19 testing locations in King County, visit: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing.aspx

TC3 moves to UW for winter quarter 2021

Posted on December 23, 2020

Despite rainy, gray weather this past Saturday and Sunday, UW students, staff and faculty turned out to help residents of Tent City 3 move from Trinity United Methodist Church in Seattle’s Crown Hill neighborhood to their new, three-month home in UW’s W35 parking lot near NE Pacific St. and Brooklyn Ave. In addition to the normal lifting, lugging, packing and unpacking involved in moving 40 people, COVID-19 precautions were incorporated. Volunteers watched their distance, wore their masks and washed their hands frequently.

For those unfamiliar with its history, TC3 is a long-time self-governed community of homeless individuals and families. The camp moves every 90 days in the greater Seattle area utilizing invitations to church parking lots and other properties. TC3 screens potential residents for sex offender status and does not allow drugs, alcohol, harassment or violence. The average time someone lives at TC3 varies from a few days to several months.

TC3’s residency at UW this quarter follows the first TC3 residency at UW in winter quarter of 2017, the first hosting of a sanctioned community of homeless people by a public university. UW grounded the decision to host in 2017 on the University’s academic mission. More than a dozen classroom and clinical courses connected students and TC3 residents in 2017.

The decision by UW to host again came as a result of advocacy by Tent City Collective, a group of UW students, alumni and Tent City 3 residents looking to repeat the success of 2017. However, the pandemic changed UW’s instructional approach after the commitment to host TC3 had been made. This year’s academic interactions with Tent City 3 are likely to be largely virtual with the exception of clinical courses.

Pandemic precautions added more to the planning. TC3 will have a lower cap on maximum resident numbers while at UW in order to ensure adequate camp spacing. The camp will have extra hand-washing stations. Public Health Seattle & King County has had and will retain responsibility for regular coronavirus testing at TC3 and will provide contact tracing if required.

To learn more about the TC3 at UW and UW’s broader work on homelessness, visit UW’s Addressing Homelessness webpage.

Contact the Tent City Collective if you’re interested in volunteering. Visit them on Facebook or email tentcity@uw.edu.

To donate food or supplies to TC3, visit their webpage.

For questions about the hosting decision and logistics, email regional@uw.edu.