Since 1993, the Hepatitis Education Project (HEP) has been fighting to make viral hepatitis less deadly. What started as a support group for people living with chronic viral hepatitis has grown into Washington state’s only 501(c)(3) organization devoted to eliminating this silent killer.
Even as the CDC reports chronic liver disease and cirrhosis as the ninth leading cause of death in the U.S. (56,585 in 2021), awareness of viral hepatitis and linkage to care remain severely lacking. Of the 3.3 million Americans estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B or C, over half don’t know their status. And unfortunately, knowledge is just part of the battle: only 1 in 3 people who test positive for HCV get linked to care, a rate that drops to 1 in 6 for anyone on Medicaid under 40.
Given that we already have the tools needed to eliminate these viruses, those numbers are unacceptable. Through outreach and within our space in Seattle’s Central District, HEP provides vaccinations, testing, and other essential health services at zero cost to the public. Beyond our backyard, HEP’s national arms—the National Hepatitis Corrections Network and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable—strive to ensure care reaches everyone who needs it no matter where they are.
Guided by tenets of harm reduction and health equity, our work prioritizes the needs of people who use drugs, those experiencing homelessness, and marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by viral hepatitis.
Eliminating hepatitis C isn’t just about saving lives – it’s also about reducing the burden on our healthcare system. Chroic hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver disease, liver cancer, and liver transplants, driving up costs and straining healthcare providers. By ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, we can prevent costly complications, free up critical resources, and ease the burden on healthcare providers.
Learn About Our Work
Viral Hepatitis Treatment
HEP’s Care Coordination Program (est. 2014) is one of the first hepatitis C medical case management programs in the country, which aims to identify people living with HCV and link them to treatment. Our passionate team of care coordinators help clients determine eligibility for health insurance and patient assistance programs, connect with providers, and get cured.
Harm Reduction Services
Since 2017, HEP has operated an in-house Syringe Service Program (SSP). In addition to reducing the risk of viral hepatitis and HIV through the provision of sterile injection equipment, SSPs provide vital links to hepatitis and HIV testing and treatment, substance use treatment, and overdose prevention. In 2022, we also began offering safer smoking supplies and anonymous drug checking.
Prevention & Outreach
Our Prevention and Outreach Program offers free hepatitis C (HCV) rapid antibody screening, HCV confirmatory testing, and hepatitis B (HBV) confirmatory testing. We provide these services within our dedicated space, as well as at needle exchange programs, methadone clinics, drop-in centers, shelters and transitional housing programs, and health fairs throughout King County.
Medication for Opioid Cessation
Our newest addition, Seattle STEP Clinic (est. 2018) is a collaborative effort with Country Doctor Community Health Centers that provides low-barrier prescriptions for medications that assist in reducing or discontinuing opioid use. Prescriptions are generally provided on the first day, and participants do not need to pass a drug test or attend counseling to receive care through STEP.
