Homelessness has been an issue that has plagued the Washington, D.C. area for many years. Due to immigration laws, gangs, early teen pregnancy, alcohol, and substance abuse, many Latino youth end up in the streets without a helping hand. In the streets, these youth cannot gain the skill and security that they need to survive in the real world. Because of the need of temporary housing, the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) provides Latino youth with a Street Outreach Program (SOP).

The SOP program provides temporary housing for youth that have no place to live and have been forced to live in the streets. The SOP staff works together with the youth to find alternatives for long-term housing or family reunification.

Mission:

Our mission is to provide emergency shelter, education and prevention for runaway and homeless youth.

Services:

SOP provides comprehensive services to participants including:

• Emergency shelter for two weeks;
• Support in moments of crisis;
• Case planning and monitoring;
• Individual, family and group therapy;
• Nutrition counseling/food preparation;
• Drug and alcohol abuse prevention;
• References;
• Transportation;
• Life skills and employment training; and
• Access to other LAYC programs.

Conditions for Admission:

• Must be male between the ages of 16 to 21;
• In need of housing; has abandoned home; or in need of emergency shelter;
• Must be drug and alcohol free, or be participating in some form of rehabilitation program;
• Cannot present danger to self or others;
• Must be able to comply with the objectives given at the beginning of the program;
• Must be able to comply with rules and norms of the program; and
• Must be willing to work part-time and attend school or any other educational/vocational program.

Admission Procedure:

• All referrals are directed to SOP. However, direct contact with the candidate is required in order to continue with the admission process;
• SOP staff will meet with the candidate to discuss his current living situation, as well as any future plans. The candidate must meet SOP staff at least two times. The candidate must express a willingness to work within a structured program and be committed to pursue independence;
• The SOP Admission Committee will meet the candidate before a decision is made to admit him to the Orientation Phase; and
• Recommendation for full admission into the SOP will be made once all relevant assessments have been completed.

Contact Information

Laura Bowman Pimentel
Program Coordinator
3031 15th St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
Tel. 202.319.2624
Fax 202.319.2650
bowman@layc-dc.org