DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center)
Mental Health CareWashington, United States501-1000 Employees
DESC, a mental health care nonprofit based in Seattle, aims to end homelessness for vulnerable people, prioritizing those with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders by providing housing in tandem with an integrated array of services and treatment. It is the largest multi-service agency serving homeless adults in the Pacific Northwest, reaching more than 9,000 people annually through a network of state-licensed mental health and substance abuse programs. Its services span street outreach, crisis diversion and respite, case management, short- and long-term care, psychiatric assessment and treatment, employment support, individual and group counseling, emergency shelter beds, and permanent supportive housing. The organization adheres to Housing First principles, treating housing as a basic human right to support stabilization and recovery. Based in Seattle, DESC has earned regional and national recognition for its programs, and in 2025 opened the STAR Center in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood to provide stability through access to resources.