The small clinic is located on the well-traveled North 45th street in the Western end of the Wallingford neighborhood. With two floors and multiple rooms, this agency does the best it can with the space it has. It has a variety of services such as dentistry, STD testing, yoga, and along with private counseling, it creates one stop for all that would have been difficult to accomplish in one day.A few Teen Link volunteers got a personal tour from the director of the youth clinic and all sorts of great information about the program.
Below are a series of questions the Teen Link volunteers asked of the clinic staff:
What services are provided? Any eligibility requirements?
Allopathic (conventional) and naturopathic (considered more alternative) medicine, dental, drug & alcohol services, mental health services, acupuncture, meditation and yoga. Ages 12-23 must go through eligibility office.
What are the hours?
Teens only: Monday-Thursday 6-9 PM. The clinic is open to all Monday - Saturday, and the staff encourage
calling 206-633-3350 for exact hours if you go during the day. Teen clinic is drop in - no appointment needed.
How do teens typically find out about the program(s)?Usually by word of mouth from patients and by outreach. So once you hear about the clinic, please tell your friends.
Do you see a lot of repeat clients? What do you think brings them back?
Yes, patients with regular conditions such as diabetes also patients with weekly counseling. They continue to come because they are familiar with the clinic and have had pretty good experiences with us.
Do you provide any leadership or volunteer opportunities and if so, what are they?
Yes. Doing outreach in the community, volunteer nurses and doctors, dental students and we can always use help with clerical work.Contact us to find out more details.
What can a teen expect to see going on any given day at your program?
Daily programs that include regular medical care, counseling and activities such as yoga and meditation.
What makes your program special?
It is interesting and inviting to youth. A lot of thought goes into how we engage with our clients. There is access to services here that youth can't usually get such as yoga and acupuncture.
Is there anything specific you would like our callers to know?
Teens who call Teen Link should know that they have to meet our eligibility, but that isn't very hard at all. They have to be living in an "unstable" place or at risk of being homeless.
Teen Linkers' Reflection:My first impression of this agency was that it looked pretty professional but still inviting. I think other teens would feel safe because of its incredibly friendly staff and volunteers and the environment they've created. The building also looks really welcoming. The clinic is very similar to that of a regular doctor’s office. When you first come in to the facility, you will come to the check-in desk. On the first level is the waiting room as well as some examination rooms. The waiting room has lots of really great signs for other organizations that help youth and sometimes volunteers will bring in food and games to keep the clients entertained while they wait their turn. Going up the stairs to the second level, there is a dental office, a pharmacy, and an acupuncture room. On certain days the dental office turns into a yoga/meditation room. There are also private offices upstairs.
The staff are friendly and engaging and good listeners. If you're not feeling well or have questions about your health, this is a great place to go and get help.
