Frequently Asked Questions

The Clinic is a 4-day, volunteer-driven healthcare event at Seattle Center. It provides free healthcare to people in need. It is a community endeavor led by Seattle Center and produced in collaboration with many partner organizations.

No, it is not limited to residents of Seattle and King County. All are welcome. The Clinic is targeted at people who struggle to access or afford care. The only requirement to receive service is that a person waits their turn in line to get a free admission ticket at the beginning of each Clinic day.

Please sign up on our volunteer roster. Go to seattlecenter.org/volunteers and find the blue CLICK TO SIGN UP / IN button. If there are no clinic events currently listed (open for registration) for you to select, complete all information on the form except the EVENT section, then SAVE AND SUBMIT the form to be added to the roster. We will send notifications to people on the roster when registration opens, and you can select your desired event(s), day(s), and assignment(s).

Seattle Center and its non-profit fiscal agent, Seattle Center Foundation, work year-round to raise the money and resources needed to produce the Clinic.

No. All healthcare practitioners at the Clinic are volunteers, and they provide their services without compensation.

Thank you for considering a donation — any amount helps! Donations can be made by clicking the yellow DONATE button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Please email SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org and tell us what you have available, in what quantity and in what condition so we can evaluate whether it is something that we can use at the Clinic.

Visit seattlecenter.org/patient-records to download the request form. Complete and submit the form per the instructions provided.

Yes, please go to seattlecenter.org/patients to find lists of other healthcare resources by county in Washington State.

Visit our homepage at seattlecenter.org/skcclinic to read our Final Reports, view videos or find links to other media stories. You can also visit our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

Since the first Clinic in 2014, we have worked with a specialist who is certified in infection control and epidemiology to help ensure we take appropriate health safety measures throughout our operations. These are just some of the measures we are taking.

• All participants will undergo a health screening each day.
• Masks are optional for all participants (volunteers, patients, guests, staff) but are strongly encouraged in crowded areas and may be required during some treatment processes. This policy may change according to public health guidance and community metrics for respiratory viruses.
• Volunteers and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 for personal safety and to help protect others, but it is not required.
• Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the Clinic.
• Surfaces and equipment will be sanitized after use.
• All Clinic facilities meet or exceed CDC/ASHRAE standards for ventilation and use MERV 13 filters.

Volunteers and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 for personal safety and to help protect others, but it is not required. Volunteers are asked to cancel participation if they are experiencing symptoms of illness including flu or COVID-19.

Yes and no. If you previously signed up online through seattlecenter.org/volunteers then you do not need to complete the entire online registration form again. However, you will need to login, confirm your information is still correct and select which event(s), day(s) and assignment(s) you want this year.

To select your event(s), day(s) and assignment(s), click the blue CLICK TO SIGN UP / IN button. Once you’ve been redirected to the registration page, click the red RECALL MY INFORMATION button at the top to login with your username and password. You will be taken to a dashboard where you can click to UPDATE your personal information, REGISTER for a specific event, EDIT an existing event registration, or CANCEL your event participation entirely.

Please DO NOT fill out and submit a completely new registration. Instead, please contact SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org or 206-615-1835 for help. We can tell you your username and reset your password.

If your online registration was saved and submitted (very end of the registration page), you should have received both an onscreen and email confirmation (and a text confirmation if you signed up for that option) immediately following your submission. Please be sure to check your spam/junk folder and add SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org to your safe senders list. If you still can’t find it, please contact SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org or call 206-615-1835.

It will vary by assignment, but for some assignments, the day is not broken into shifts because it impacts efficiency and reduces the number of patients that can be served. The full length of a shift (check-in time – end time) is shown next to each assignment in the online registration system.

The 2024 Clinic will begin distributing admission tickets at 5:30 AM. Patients are admitted to register at 6:30 AM and the Clinic generally lasts until 6 PM. Volunteers are also needed to help with set-up and take-down in the days before and after the Clinic.

Yes. The registration system, however, does not allow you to select more than one shift in a day. Instead, just sign up for the first shift that you can attend and then plan to stay on for the second shift of the same assignment. We’re always glad to accommodate volunteers who want to continue working.

Go to seattlecenter.org/volunteers and find the blue CLICK TO SIGN UP / IN button; this takes you back to the registration page. Follow the instructions for RETURNING PARTICIPANTS at the top of the page.

Click the red RECALL MY INFORMATION button at the top of the page to log in with your username and password. You will be taken to a dashboard where you can click to UPDATE your personal information, REGISTER for a specific event, EDIT an existing event registration, or CANCEL your event participation entirely.

Be sure to click SAVE AND SUBMIT at the end of the registration form. If you are having problems, please email SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org or call 206-615-1835.

When reviewing the list of assignments, if you see the term “Waiting List” next to an assignment name that means it is currently full. In this case you have 3 options:

1. Choose a different assignment.
2. Choose that assignment and be put on a wait list. If you are only on the wait list, you are not scheduled to participate unless an opening occurs.
3. Choose that assignment and be put on a wait list and then select an alternate assignment. In this case you are scheduled for the alternate assignment unless an opening occurs for your wait-listed assignment. If you choose to be on the wait list, we highly recommend you select an alternate assignment so you can still participate.

If an opening becomes available in your wait list assignment and you are moved into it, you will receive an email notice of this change and any alternate assignment will be canceled.

Yes! We need over 400 General Support volunteers each day of the Clinic to help with patient registration, escorting patients, managing lines and waiting areas, providing interpretation, distributing snacks, etc. Don’t forget the set-up and take-down needs in the days before and after the Clinic.

Yes, U.S. licensed healthcare practitioners from out-of-state can volunteer for up to 30 days per year at free health clinics or events. Volunteers must read and complete this Washington State Department of Health online attestation form no less than 10 working days before the event: https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/opinio/s?s=VOLATT

Yes, we welcome student participation, however student spaces are limited, and students may be restricted in their involvement in patient care. The criteria for student participation also vary by discipline. You’ll find more details on the volunteer registration site accessed through seattlecenter.org/volunteers.

Students who do not meet the stated requirements, or if student assignments are full, are encouraged to participate as General Support volunteers so they can still experience and contribute to the Clinic. Students fluent in other languages are also needed as interpreters.

Yes, many groups or offices volunteer on the same day. Each person must register individually. Where you are scheduled to work may differ according to the assignment you are filling, but there will be opportunities for you to interact with your friends and colleagues during the day. List your organization/employer in the registration system so we know you’re there together.

We welcome having healthcare professionals work with your regular team. You each need to register individually, but you can indicate if you plan to work directly with someone from your office. Also list your organization/employer in the registration system so we know what team you’re with or if your organization/employer will need a report of volunteers after the clinic.

Yes. Regardless of compensation status from your organization, you are still considered a volunteer by the Clinic and will need to complete the same registration process as other volunteers.

Yes. We ask that you volunteer for at least a complete shift on one day—additional days are optional, but keep in mind that we need a lot of volunteers! Please encourage friends and colleagues to participate too. Don’t forget the set-up and take-down needs in the days and weeks before and after the Clinic.

For legal reasons, all volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. If your child meets this age limit and wants to come with you, they must register as a full-fledged volunteer.

General Support volunteers are instrumental in the operation of the Clinic. You may select assignments such as patient registration, patient escort, waiting area monitor, volunteer check-in, paperwork processing, supply restocking, etc. We also have a pool of volunteers called General Support – As Assigned who we place in assignments where people are most needed. Clinic organizers may do this in advance of the Clinic or on the event day itself.

We also need help during set-up and take-down in the days before and after the Clinic. Special skills and/or ability to lift heavy objects are not required. You might help sort and inventory supplies, assemble kits, lay out instruments, put up signs, etc.

If you are a healthcare professional who is unable to work in a clinical capacity, or if assignments in your field are full, you are more than welcome to volunteer in a General Support capacity. Your healthcare expertise often proves useful even in these assignments.

Early morning volunteers are the first people that patients encounter and as such they set the stage for a positive Clinic experience. In 2024, beginning at 12:30 AM, Fisher Pavilion will open for patients to receive a health screening, take shelter, and get in line. If you are a General Support volunteer, you will be answering patient questions, providing information about what patients will experience during the Clinic, giving directions, monitoring the waiting area, distributing snacks and water, etc.

Seattle Center staff and security are on site to manage the early morning operation overall.

Find more information about assignments at seattlecenter.org/skcclinic/assignments.

We make General Support (G) assignments open to any volunteer. Sometimes assignments for healthcare professionals may be full, or we don’t need your profession this year, or maybe you prefer not to work in a clinical capacity but would still like to participate in the Clinic. In other cases, such as set-up, since we’re not treating patients on those days, your profession isn’t needed. However, your capable hands and even healthcare expertise are still very useful in a General Support capacity.

It is up to each individual practitioner to ensure they have, or that they secure, malpractice insurance that covers their work in the Clinic. If your malpractice insurance is provided by your employer, in some cases it won’t cover you outside of your place of employment. It is your responsibility to confirm if it does.

If your current malpractice insurance doesn’t cover you in this setting, or you are at all in doubt, many U.S. licensed healthcare professionals can apply for free malpractice insurance, paid for by the Department of Health, through the Volunteer and Retired Provider Program. Seattle/King County Clinic is an approved site. Details at wahealthcareaccessalliance.org/vrp-program.

Patients will sign a liability waiver that helps to protect all volunteers but does not alleviate the need for malpractice insurance. This Clinic is an approved mission of the Public Health Reserve Corps (Seattle & King County), and members who volunteer will be covered under that program.

No, you are not obligated to provide follow-up care. Any Washington State provider who is willing to take clinic referrals (free or sliding-scale), whether or not they volunteer at the Clinic, should contact SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org.

Yes! Interpreters do not need to be trained or medically certified, just fluent in speaking the language. Interpreters are needed to help patients register, navigate throughout the building, and understand the overall process. The top languages needed for interpretation are ASL, Amharic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian. We use AMN Healthcare for remote video and phone interpretation for healthcare-related conversations. Interpreters should not register as volunteers on the same date they accompany a friend or family member as a patient.

Yes, but not on the same day. If you choose to come on a different day, you must pursue the same process as any other patient by waiting in line to get a ticket, etc. Please be sure you are not wearing your volunteer t-shirt, badge or any other items that make you look like a volunteer. Volunteers will not be given admission tickets, registration paperwork or any services dedicated for patients.

No, all volunteers at the Clinic will be fed meals and snacks. If you have special dietary needs, you may choose to bring your own food as we may not be able to meet those needs.

We try to arrange for group rates at nearby hotels. Please contact us at SKCClinic@seattlecenter.org for the most up-to-date information.

Yes, there will be both police and campus security onsite. Still, we ask that volunteers leave valuables at home. Only bring with you what is absolutely necessary, always maintain important items on your person for safekeeping. The parking garage is monitored, but to help prevent break-ins please keep items out of sight. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged possessions.

Past volunteers have declared this experience to be enjoyable and rewarding, and we hope you’ll agree!

Volunteers will receive an email with a link to orientation and reference materials a few weeks prior to your participation. This will address everything from how to get here, the location for free volunteer parking, when and where to check in, what to bring, as well as information specific to your volunteer assignment. Please be sure to read through these materials even if you volunteered before as information may have changed. We want you to be fully informed about what to expect before arriving.

Short onsite orientations will be given by area leadership at the start of each day. Late cancellations and no-shows impact the number of patients we are able to serve. If you discover you are unable to participate, please be sure to cancel your registration online or contact us as soon as possible so we can find someone else to fill your assignment.

No, all onsite Clinic services are free.

No, however all patients and their guests will be required to complete a health screening prior to receiving a ticket. Do not attend if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms of flu or COVID-19. Masks are optional for all participants but are strongly encouraged in crowded areas and may be required during some treatment processes.

No. All patients regardless of income, insurance, housing, or United States citizenship status are eligible to receive care on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients will not be asked for documentation of any type when being admitted to the Clinic.

The Clinic welcomes the LGBTQIA+ community. Our core principles include that all people (patients, volunteers, guests, and staff) are treated with compassion and respect. We do our best to reinforce this in orientation materials and onsite training and are pleased by the positive feedback we have received from patients about how they were treated. We also encourage volunteers to learn about populations unfamiliar to them by reading informational materials we provide. Many healthcare providers indicate on their registration that they are LGBTQIA+ competent; however, with such a large number of volunteers, we cannot be certain that all volunteers have that competency.

The line will be located inside Fisher Pavilion on the Seattle Center campus (corner of 2nd Ave North and Lenny Wilkens Way). Fisher Pavilion will open each day at 12:30 AM for anyone who arrives early. Tickets will be distributed starting at 5:30 AM in line order (only one ticket per person). Tickets are limited to how many patients we can see that day. We will admit people in numerical order into the Clinic starting at 6:30 AM. It may take several hours to get everyone with a ticket admitted into the Clinic.

While we have no way of knowing exactly what time we will run out of tickets for a given service, we try to frequently update our social media pages once ticket distribution has begun. You can access our Facebook and Instagram pages for the most updated posts.

Yes, chairs are available, and the line is inside Fisher Pavilion.

Yes, there will be security personnel patrolling Fisher Pavilion and its perimeter. It is well-lighted and heated and includes bathrooms.

We know it is difficult for many people in all types of circumstances to get in line early in the morning, but we only have the one admission process. You may send someone to stand in line for you to get a ticket (but they will only be able to get one ticket, not one for you and one for themselves), but you must be present and be in possession of that ticket when the ticket number is called to be admitted to the Clinic. We have no way of estimating when the number will be called; it may take 4 hours to call all the numbers and admit people into the building. Your arrangement with this person is your responsibility, so be sure that you have a good way of communicating with them. The volunteers at the Clinic will not be able to track this person down or hold a place for you.

• Before being given an admission ticket you will be asked what type(s) of care you are seeking. You can choose dental and medical care OR vision and medical care OR just one type of care in a single day. You cannot seek dental and vision care in the same day.
• Once you have your ticket, you can wait in Fisher Pavilion until it’s close to the time for your admission to the Clinic, or you may leave the area and come back.
• Beginning at 6:30 AM, numbers will be called in groups in Fisher Pavilion and you will be escorted to the Clinic. You cannot enter until your number is called; it may take 3 or 4 hours for all numbers to be called.
• First, you’ll go to registration where, to start your Clinic healthcare record, a volunteer will ask your name, age, and a mailing address where we can send lab results and/or completed eyeglasses.
• After registration, you will meet with a healthcare professional. The healthcare professional will take your blood pressure, temperature, and medical history. Your blood pressure and glucose must be within certain limits for you to receive dental care. This is for your safety. DO NOT fast for lab tests.
• Clinic staff will give you paperwork for the areas (dental, medical or vision) you can visit today. You can choose which of these you want to go to first.
• At the start of each area (dental, medical or vision), you’ll meet with a healthcare professional. That person will determine your treatment plan based on your most critical needs and the availability of services. You may not get all the services that you want or that are offered if many people need the same service. You can come back on another day to try to get additional services, but you must start the process over again by waiting in line to get a ticket.
• For each service, you will get in line and be seen on a first-come, first-served basis (it is not based on your original admission number).
• Before leaving a care area (dental, medical or vision), stop at the Checkout Station to turn in your healthcare record for that area.
• Then you can go to your second authorized area, if time allows.
• Vision patients will be able to return on a specified date to pick up their prescription eyeglasses or have their prescription eyeglasses mailed to them.
• You can speak with Social Workers to learn about local services and resources. You can also speak with professionals to understand your health insurance options.

If it’s within one hour of when your ticket number was originally called, you will still be admitted. If it’s more than one hour since your ticket number was called, you may not be admitted.

It depends. If you have one of the last tickets and the process is moving more slowly than anticipated, there is a chance we might not be able to complete your service that day. If you have a ticket and we can’t treat you that day, you will be scheduled to return on another day for service.

Unfortunately, the number of patients we can admit is limited and every person in line may not get a ticket. You can come back the next day to try again.

Patients may seek dental and medical care OR vision and medical care OR just one type of care in a single day. Patients cannot seek dental and vision care in the same day.

Due to limited time and high demand, patients may not get all of the treatments offered in a single care area (dental, medical or vision). A treatment plan will be determined by a healthcare professional based on the patient’s most critical needs and the availability of services. Patients can come back on another day to try to get additional services, but they must start the process all over again by waiting in line to get a ticket.

• DENTAL: Fillings, extractions, x-rays, deep cleanings
• MEDICAL: Physical exams, x-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, select lab tests, immunizations, foot care, dermatology, physical and occupational (hand) therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care, nutrition counseling, behavioral health, and more
• VISION: Vision screenings, complete eye exams, reading glasses and prescription eyeglasses. Bring a current eyeglass prescription (no older than two years) to skip the exam and just get the eyeglasses. Patients will be able to return on a specified date to pick up their prescription eyeglasses or have their prescription eyeglasses mailed to them.
• RESOURCES: Social work, help with health insurance, and more

Any patient under age 18 must have a parent or legal guardian with them during registration and services. Exceptions may be made under the Mature Minors Doctrine for youth ages 13 and above who are not in contact with a parent or legal guardian.

• DENTAL: Bridges, complex extractions including wisdom teeth, dentures, implants, orthodontics, root canals on molars, sedation, teeth whitening
• MEDICAL: Biopsies, casts, CT scans, stitches/sutures, immunizations for children under 18 years of age, MRIs, new prescriptions for behavioral health medications
• VISION: Contact lenses, sunglasses
• Opioid or opioid prescriptions

A licensed healthcare provider may issue a prescription if a patient’s condition warrants it. Most likely these are for immediate needs, not long-term treatment. Prescriptions for opioids will not be issued. Medications are not dispensed onsite. No opioids are onsite.

Yes, we do treat children, but we cannot guarantee they’ll be seen by a pediatric specialist.

If a provider from the Clinic recommends that you seek follow-up care for a specific treatment or service, social workers and other resource professionals will help you to identify places you can go for care. It is your responsibility to schedule any follow-up appointments. Also, the Clinic is not responsible for any fees or issues related to care that you seek outside of the Clinic.

For health and sanitation reasons, only trained service animals will be allowed in the Clinic.

No. Please come prepared with food, water, and any medications you need to take during the day. Once you are admitted to the Clinic, you will be able to leave and re-enter throughout the day if you need to get food or medications, but If you are in line for service and you leave your place for a long time, you will lose your place in line and will need to go to the end of the line when you return. If you have a companion with you, it is suggested that they leave to pick up food or other items you may need so that you can keep your place in line.

Be prepared for a long day. Your comfort is your responsibility. We suggest you bring plenty of food and water, any medications you require, warm and comfortable clothing, and some kind of entertainment (books, magazines, etc.). You do not need ID or proof of immigration status for the Clinic. No illegal drugs, alcohol or weapons are allowed onsite.

Yes, once you are admitted to the Clinic and have appropriate Clinic identification, you will be able to leave and re-enter throughout the day, but if you are in line for a particular care area or service you will lose your place by leaving the building and will need to go to the end of the line for that care area or service when you return. If you have a companion with you, we suggest that they leave to pick up food or other items you may need so that you can keep your place in line.

Yes, guests must initially enter the Clinic at the same time as the patient they are accompanying in order to receive appropriate Clinic identification. After that, guests will be able to leave and re-enter the Clinic throughout the day but will not be able to receive Clinic healthcare services.

Yes. When you arrive in line at Fisher Pavilion, there will be a bag check for larger items that you may not want to carry with you all day such as sleeping bags, carts, or other heavy or cumbersome items. Please keep anything with you that you will need throughout the day such as food, water, or extra layers of clothing.

Transportation is not provided, but more information on how to get to Seattle Center using public transportation is available at seattlecenter.com/visitor-info/getting-here. Patient parking is provided for free in the Mercer Street Garage (650 3rd Ave North).

No. You can bring children with you, even if they are not seeking services, but their care is your responsibility. Please plan for how to pass the time with them and make sure you have food and activities to keep them satisfied.

Yes.

All are welcome! Patients DO NOT need ID or proof of immigration status. The Clinic does not share private information without patient consent. Seattle/King County Clinic is a sensitive location as defined by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE Statement on Sensitive Locations (www.ice.gov):

The ICE sensitive locations policy, which remains in effect, provides that enforcement actions at sensitive locations should generally be avoided, and require either prior approval from an appropriate supervisory official or exigent circumstances necessitating immediate action. DHS is committed to ensuring that people seeking to participate in activities or utilize services provided at any sensitive location are free to do so without fear or hesitation.

Locations treated as sensitive locations under ICE policy would include, but are not limited to:

• Schools, such as known and licensed daycares, pre-schools and other early learning programs; primary schools; secondary schools; post-secondary schools up to and including colleges and universities; as well as scholastic or education-related activities or events, and school bus stops that are marked and/or known to the officer, during periods when school children are present at the stop;
• Medical treatment and health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, accredited health clinics, and emergent or urgent care facilities;
• Places of worship, such as churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples;
• Religious or civil ceremonies or observances, such as funerals and weddings; and
• During a public demonstration, such as a march, rally, or parade.

Yes. Health insurance is not needed to be treated at the Clinic. We will have people who are able to assist you in learning more about your health insurance options and to help get you enrolled.

No. However, if you bring an authorized prescription for eyeglasses that is less than 2 years old, you can skip the eye exam and go straight to the optical section to choose your eyeglasses.

Visit seattlecenter.org/patient-records to download the request form. Complete and submit the form according to the instructions provided.

Yes, please go to seattlecenter.org/patients to find lists of other healthcare resources by county in Washington State.