BABES Network
Location
1118 5th Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
United States
Hours
Contact
Upcoming Closure Notice: To allow time and space for staff & program wellness, the Health Care Access Program and BABES Network will be closed to new referrals beginning December 13. Community Health Workers, Peers, and Case Managers will begin reviewing referrals for triage and response the first week of January. Referrals sent between December 15 - January 3 can expect responses the second week in January.
The mission of BABES Network is to reduce isolation, promote self-empowerment, enhance the quality of life, and serve the needs of women living with HIV.
Led by HIV-positive peer advocates, BABES is the only program of its kind in the region and serves hundreds of HIV-positive women and their families each year. Services for BABES members include:
- One-on-one peer counseling
- Non-medical case management
- Support groups
- Educational forums
- Advocacy
- Social events and retreats
- "BABES Talking" quarterly newsletter
The BABES Team is currently meeting people at our Opportunity Place location by appointment only. If you are not currently working with a peer advocate or case manager, please email us at: babesallstaff@ywcaworks.org or call us at (206) 720-5566.
Support Groups
- For HIV-positive women: every Thursday, noon – 1:30 p.m.
- For Snohomish County HIV-positive women: every fourth Tuesday from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
HIV & Women of Color
Did you know that black women are disproportionately affected by HIV, compared to women of other ethnic groups? Nearly two-thirds of women newly diagnosed with HIV in the U.S. are African American. In Washington State, the rate of new HIV diagnoses is 25 times higher for black women than it is for white women.
BABES Network primarily serves women who live in Washington State.
- Call 206.720.5566 for a phone intake with a BABES peer advocate.
- You can also email babesallstaff@ywcaworks.org. When you send an email, you acknowledge that we may reply with a message identifying ourselves as from YWCA.
- Any information provided will be kept confidential and is not shared with anyone.
To enroll in BABES, you will be asked for:
- Proof of income
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of HIV status
