impact > Our Programs
SPY Programs
Access center services
Five days a week, young people can access our continuum of services in a safe, welcoming space. The Access Center at Safe Place for Youth (SPY) is a one-stop-shop for homeless and at-risk youth to access hot meals, showers, fresh clothing, and hygiene products. Close to the beach and local transport, our Venice location provides a perfect environment for homeless youth to find relief and connect to SPY’s comprehensive array of services which include Case Management, Education & Employment, Health & Wellness, Healing Arts, Housing, and Pregnant & Parenting. SPY’s Drop-in Center revolves around a low-barrier, harm-reduction and trauma-informed care approach to empowering young people to make the best decisions for themselves.
SPY’s Access Center is open Tuesday-Thursday from 1:00pm-5:00pm.
Street outreach
Five times a week, SPY's outreach team connects with youth who are experiencing homelessness on the Westside of Los Angeles. We build meaningful relationships and trust, while providing street based engagement and survival resources. Outreach staff and trained volunteers provide snacks, hygiene packs, socks, as well as linkages to emergency shelter, mental health and medical care, and other on-site services at SPY’s Access Center.
youth coordinated Entry SYSTEM (YCES) Lead
YCES is a decentralized, “no wrong door” method to serving houseless youth, by connecting them to organizations providing shelter, housing, and services, in a fair, systematic, and efficient manner. CES is practiced throughout Los Angeles County, which is divided for service provision into 8 distinct geographical Service Planning Areas (SPAs).
Advocacy & Policy
Ending youth homelessness requires the involvement of a multitude of stakeholders: public and private service providers, county systems representatives, policymakers, researchers, funders, coalitions, community members and volunteers. Safe Place for Youth recognizes that youth who access our services need us to be their voice of change at the city, county, state and federal level. Our Executive Director and Director of Housing Advocacy participate as members and leaders of multiple advocacy groups across LA County working on advancing public policy that is responsive to the needs of youth.
Additionally, SPY's youth advocacy panel, "SPY Squad" meets weekly to communally address the issues that matter to them most. This work includes awareness around issues facing homeless youth (such as affordable housing options and the need for employment opportunities), and advocating for appropriate solution to end youth homelessness at conferences locally and nationwide.
Leadership and Coalitions:
Westside Homeless Youth Partners (WHYP), Convener
Los Angeles Coalition to End Youth Homelessness (LACEYH), Tri-Chair and Steering Committee member
LACEYH PIT Crew
MemberWestside Coalition, Board Member
Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership (HHYP)
MemberNational Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness, Presenter
West Coast Convening, Presenter
Coordinated Entry System Policies and Procedures, Member
Department of Mental Health Service Area Advisory Committee (SAAC5), Participant and Steering Committee
Service Planning Area (SPA) 5 Adult Coordinated Entry System, Participant
Westside Mental Health Committee, Participant
Innovations
Innovation 2 (INN 2) is a 4-year Department of Mental Health (DMH) grant designed to create trauma-resilient communities through community capacity building. The grant was awarded to nine organizations that are building their community’s capacity to identify and address trauma in order to support overall community health and wellness. SPY was one of nine organizations in Los Angeles County awarded this grant. As a grant recipient, SPY is addressing the needs of young people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness and trauma.
