Sea Mar Healthcare of the Homeless

• Shennetta Smith, ShenettaSmith@seamarchc.org
• Alina Flores, AlinaFlores@seamarchc.org
• Presentation is at https://coalitionfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/Sea%20Mar%20-%20Homeless%20Case%20Mgmt%20PwrPt.ppt
• Sea Mar was originally created as a safe place for migrant workers
• Sea Mar’s first location was in Seattle, second was in Marysville – thus it was named Sea Mar (I really thought there was some serious multilingual nautical theme going on with their name – especially knowing their origins were wanting to better serve the latinx community.  I told the Sea Mar name origins to everyone I met all day.  Me: “Sea Mar is named after Seattle and Marysville.”  Wife: ”No.”  Me: “Yes.”  Wife: “No.”  Me: “Oh Yes.”  I think she may have just been humoring me, but that is what makes marriages work. –ed.)
• Sea Mar provides services across Western Washington
• Sea Mar operates the Healthcare for the Homeless program
  • Homeless Case Management
  • Located at in the 11^th Street Clinic (1307 S 11th St. Tacoma, WA 98405)
  • 500 showers a month – 2 showers available
  • 50 loads of laundry per month – 4 loads per day, but working on getting more capacity
  • Open Monday through Friday from 8am to 3:45pm
  • Homeless Care Manager – can help clients get scheduled in with doctors on site, or with other necessary medical personnel 
  • 11^th street site has
    • Medical Professionals
    • Substance Abuse Counselor
    • Homeless Case Management
    • Dental
  • Help individuals who are needing access to medical and mental health.  We schedule clients with doctors for same day visits.  We can do scheduling on site or for providers across the whole network.
  • Help clients meet Short team goals – what we can do right then - clothes, food, shower
    • Clothing bank is up and operating – while they are selecting clothing, this is often is a good time to talk and interact with folks – a good chance to get them into services (kind of reminds me of Walk and Talk therapy or Movement Therapy.  There is some cool research – such as https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150605081615.htm -- that shows many people are more at ease when not the focus of attention, and that therapy can be more productive for many when walking with a therapist.  My kids are always chattier when walking or driving somewhere. –ed.)
    • still working on the food bank
  • Long term goal
    • get them into housing
    • provide regimented care management (interesting choice of words – “regimented” – I usually hear much  more about laissez faire case management – ed.)
  • Case Manager role is to meet folks where they are.
  • Theresa – you guys are great – we bring you towels.  You might mention other folks with laundry – Tacoma  Rescue Mission provides laundry for anyone, and the Catholic Community Services Family Day Center provides laundry for families. 
  • Marybeth -  is it walk in – if someone wanted to talk about help, how would they access case management – can they call?  Yes, drop in or call the case managers at either  253-682-2185 or 253-682-2186.
  • question – how do you work on housing?  Shennetta – we do look for shelters, we call Nativity House or Tacoma Rescue Mission to connect them.   
  • Marybeth – behavioral health on 19^th that just opened – is that Sea mar?  who to access?  Shen – Yes, that is Sea Mar.  You just walk in.  The have Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Services there.   They have orientation Monday through Friday.  Arriving before 12pm is the best time to  come in.
  • Do Substance Use  Counselors do assessment right way?  Shennetta – yes, they talk to them right then.  We have everything in one stop – Dental, Mental Health, Medical.  We understand transportation is a challenge for many folks, so try to consolidate it in one location as much  as possible. 
  • I – we do have bus passes –
  • Maureen – are you targeting single adults?  Shennetta – we work with everyone.  Our main population is single adults.  Most families go to Cushman for services – it is just the area we are in.
  • Kelly – do you have shoes?  Shennetta – we need shoe donations (Shennetta and Alina were wearing shoes, so I think this was about their clients… -ed)