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Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)

Office Hours (9am-5pm, M-F)
Visit website for more information on individual programs across departments and jurisdictions, including program specific staff contacts, services, enrollment and eligibility requirements, and hours of operations. LAYC does not have a central intake/referral line
1419 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, 20009
Accepts medicaid

States where the organization has representation or a license to practice law

  • Maryland
  • Washington, D.C.

Summary

Latin American Youth Center's (LAYC) mission is to empower a diverse population of youth to achieve a successful transition to adulthood, through multi-cultural, comprehensive, and innovative programs that address youths' social, academic, and career needs. To achieve that mission, LAYC provides services and opportunities to approximately 4,000 individuals annually to support academic achievement, promote healthy behaviors, and guide youth toward successful adulthood. LAYC also conducts advocacy and public policy work to broaden opportunities for youth.

Location(s) of the organization

  • Maryland
  • Washington, D.C.

Type of Organization

  • Case Management
  • Education or Career services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Policy Advocacy: State
  • Shelter/Housing
Youth development

Specialized Competency

  • Mental Health Issues
  • Refugees
  • Runaway/Homeless Youth
  • Women with Children
DC and MD Youth ages 14-24. including immigrant youth/undocumented youth. (We have offices in Montgomery County and Prince George's County)

Target Populations and Restrictions

Populations Served

Domestic, Foreign

Language Capabilites

English, Spanish

Target Populations

Youth

  • Serve all genders

Adult

  • Serve all genders

Direct Victim Services

Basic Necessities

  • Child welfare referral
  • Emergency/Crisis response
  • Family reunification
  • Identity or government documents
  • Legal family reunification (e.g. returning citizens, welfare)
  • Personal items (includes material goods or support to obtain goods including food, clothing, toiletries, housing supplies)
  • Safety planning
  • Transportation (includes metro/subway passes, bus tickets, etc.)

Medical and Dental Services

  • Sexual Health
  • Sexual/reproductive health education
  • Substance abuse

Language Services

  • Interpretation and or translation services for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) clients
  • Interpretation and or translation services for monolingual (non-English) speakers
  • Interpretation and or translation services for blind, deaf, hard-of hearing

Education Services

  • Financial literacy
  • GED preparation
  • Health education
  • Job readiness
  • Life skills training (includes managing personal finances, self-care, and programs that help clients achieve self-sufficiency)
  • SAT/ACT preparation
  • School enrollment

Job/Internships

  • Volunteers

Housing Services

  • Housing advocacy (includes assistance to locate and place client in housing)
  • Housing financial assistance (includes expenditures for client's rent, shelter stay, hotel/motel stay, temporary host stays, foster placements, or other housing expenses)
  • Transitional housing (>30 days)

Case Management Services

  • Child welfare case management (adoption, pre-adoption, foster care, guardianship)
  • Explanation of benefit entitlements/availability
  • Intensive case management
  • Juvenile detention re-integration
  • Mentorship
  • Moving/re-location assistance

Mental/Behavioral Health Services

  • Clinical counseling / Therapy
  • Emotional/moral support / Supportive counseling
  • Peer Support

Job Services

  • Cover letter / Resume building
  • Interview training / Preparation
  • Job placement
  • Job skills training

Other Services

Our community wellness programs offer education on health and sexual wellness and our main site offers free, confidential testing M-F 3-6pm for youth ages 14+ for HIV/STI/Pregnancy/Birth Control options
We offer additional Case Management Services
All LAYC programs offer emotional/moral support, and some specific programs offer mental health counseling or therapies.
Various programs incorporate one or more of these educational services depending on their program's objectives and goals for youth.
LAYC does not reserve beds. We offer transitional living housing options through a few apartments, but we participate in the DC youth housing intake process. Our housing programs are aimed at meeting the unique needs of youth ages 18-24, single, young families, or LGBTQ.
Our foster care team works with intensive case management, foster family recruiting and training, host homes, and family reunification plans.
Spanish and English are our primary service languages, but we will accommodate requests for a youth's language of preference.