Odessa Brown Clinic Returns To Central District With Community Celebration

Seattle’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) will celebrate the grand opening of its new Central District location this Saturday, August 9, with a free community event featuring live music, kids’ activities, giveaways, and access to health services.

The celebration marks OBCC’s return to the neighborhood where it first opened more than 50 years ago. Located at 1711 S. Jackson St., the new clinic is just blocks from the original site and offers a broad range of expanded services to meet the evolving needs of families.

“This neighborhood is where we started, and it’s a huge part of our identity,” said Cora Weed, Director of Service Lines at Seattle Children’s. “Being able to return just a few blocks from our original location means a lot—not just to us, but to the families we serve.”

The community event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to all. Attendees can enjoy food, games, arts and crafts, performances, and a vaccine clinic—an event designed to welcome families and reintroduce OBCC as a trusted neighborhood resource.

Inside the new clinic, OBCC is offering primary medical care including well-child checkups, immunizations, lab work, and treatment for common illnesses. The new location also significantly expands OBCC’s behavioral health services, a response to direct community feedback.

“We’ve increased our behavioral health offerings by more than 50%,” Weed said. “That includes autism evaluations, therapy, and speech and language services. This was a priority we heard from families, and we’re proud to deliver on it.”

The clinic’s holistic model of care centers around the whole child, addressing both medical and social determinants of health. OBCC also continues to operate its larger Othello location, which served over 44,000 visits last year.

Looking ahead, OBCC is developing the Community Assistance Restorative Education (CARE) Clinic, a specialized program set to open in 2026. It will provide trauma-informed care to youth who have experienced violence, foster care, or involvement in the juvenile justice system. The CARE Clinic is being developed in partnership with over a dozen community organizations.

“There’s not a single conversation we’ve had about this reopening that doesn’t include the word ‘community,’” said Weed. “Every part of this effort—from services to design—has centered the needs and voices of the people who live here. This is their clinic.”

Since opening to patients in late July, the Central District site has already served nearly 100 young people. Saturday’s celebration is not only a grand opening, but a homecoming.