Almost 7,000 young people are currently in the care of the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). Approximately 3,000 of these adolescents and young adults are placed in foster care facilities outside their homes. These individuals enter the foster care system through several different situations in which their parents cannot care for them. These situations often take the form of neglect, abuse, or abandonment. CFSA places these young people in a variety of settings, ranging from individual foster families to group homes to supervised independent living programs.

The Independent Living Program (ILP) at the Latin American Youth Center falls into the last category. Through the provision of 24 hour staffing in a main facility, the ILP provides a safe and stable home like environment in which its residents learn the life skills necessary to lead successful adult lives. The ILP houses 6 males from 16 to 21 years of age.

Staffing

The ILP provides comprehensive and holistic services to its residents through the work of 10 staff members, including:

• Program Coordinator
• Case Manager
• Career Developer
• Residential Counselor
• Youth Developer
• Day House Supervisor
• Four Overnight House Supervisors.

Services Offered:

The services offered to the youth reflect the work of these different staff members, and include:

• Safe and stable living environment
• Case planning and monitoring
• Educational assistance
• Career Development
• Psycho-social assessments
• Life Skills training

The youth in the ILP can also take advantage of all of the resources at the LAYC, such as educational opportunities, recreational activities, work skills training, and substance abuse treatment and prevention.

Criteria for Admission into ILP:

• Currently in care of CFSA;
• Referred to ILP by CFSA;
• Males between 16 and 21 years of age;
• Admission interview with CFSA Social Worker, ILP Program Coordinator, and other ILP staff members;
• Commitment to observe ILP and CFSA rules and regulations;
• Desire to pursue work and educational programs.

Program Details

The overarching goal of the ILP is to provide more than shelter, food, case management, job development, and life skills training. Through attention to these aspects of a young person’s life, the ILP attempts to help youth successfully make the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Upon graduation from the ILP, either at age 21 or earlier depending on an individual’s development, the residents should have the necessary skills to acquire their own housing and lead an independent adult life. The ILP also strives to prepare the young men to play positive roles in the development of their community.

While striving to achieve this goal, the ILP also helps the youth learn the tangible life skills that will be necessary for successful independence. Such skills include money management, job interview training, nutrition, and communication among many others.

All of these goals are achieved through the provision of a structured environment for the young people. Interactions with each other and with staff occur in both group and individual settings and provide the necessary support for the young men to achieve their personal goals.

Contact Information

Steve Chaplain
3033 15th St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
202.319.1820
Fax 202.518.2358
stevec@layc-dc.org