Behavioral & Mental Health Services

LAYC supports behavioral health through various approaches to service adolescents and their families who are experiencing a wide range of stressors in their lives. Among a range of services, we offer mental health therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), medication management, and case management. We provide in-person and virtual therapy and other services at LAYC, within local schools and in the community.

Our Programs

Services are available in-person and online Monday - Friday from 9:00am to 7:00pm.

 

A CARF Three Year Accreditation was issued to Latin American Youth Center for the following programs: Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Treatment.

Accreditation is official recognition that our organization is guided by internationally recognized service standards and best practices. Accreditation demonstrates that our organization has made a specific commitment to put the needs of our residents at the center of everything we do.

Outpatient Program

Our outpatient program provides bilingual in-person & virtual therapy, art therapy, community support, and medication management to youth 12-21.

Services

  • Assessment

  • Individual, group, and family counseling

  • Psychiatric evaluations and medication management

  • Community support

Eligibility

  • Youth between the ages of 12 to 21

  • DC resident

  • Has Medicaid or is Medicaid-eligible

 

Outpatient Substance Use Program 

We provide therapeutic services to youth who are using alcohol and/or other drugs, engaging in high-risk behavior such as drug use and delinquent activities, and/or have parents that abuse drugs. The goals of the program are to improve life satisfaction, increase harm-reduction knowledge, and to promote abstinence from drugs and alcohol.  

SERVICES 

  • Bilingual Services (English/Spanish) 

  • Assessment 

  • Individual, group, and family counseling  

Eligibility

  • Youth between the ages of 12-21 

  • DC resident 

  • Has Medicaid or is Medicaid-eligible 

Treatment

Treatment is accomplished through a holistic program combining assessment, individual, group, and family therapy, case management.  LAYC uses evidence-based treatments including, Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

 

Behavioral Homeless Youth Program (BHHY)

BHHY is a federally funded program that provides services to youth  who are experiencing homelessness and are using substances. 

SERVICES 

  • Individual, group, and family therapy 

  • Linking them to housing, employment, and other resources 

  • Teaching Life Skills (Professional Development, Goal Setting, etc.) 

Eligibility

  • Youth and young adults between the ages of 17-24 

  • DC resident 

This program will end on November 30, 2023.

 

School-based Counseling

We provide individual therapy, group therapy, case management and psychiatric support services within our partner schools. We currently have partnerships in the following schools:

Ballou High School, Brightwood Elementary, Paul Charter Middle and High School, Cardozo Education Campus, Marie Reed Elementary, Anacostia High School, Ida B Wells Middle School, and Kramer Middle School.  

For further information concerning referrals to services at any of these schools, please contact Jessica Rice at jrice@layc-dc.org 


Referrals

CONTACT 

bhreferrals@layc-dc.org 
(202) 319-2229 

LOCATION 

Kaplan Building 
1419 Columbia Road, NW 
Washington, D.C. 20009 

 

LAYC is a certified Core Service Agency (CSA) through the Department of Behavioral Health to provide mental health rehabilitation services to youth. Services are provided in English and/or Spanish. LAYC is also certified as a Specialty Provider to provide Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) to youth in the District of Columbia.