Meeting Youth Where They Are: Inside SPY’s Clinical Program
At Safe Place for Youth (SPY), every young person who walks through our doors is met with caring staff, expansive programs, and opportunities to grow. We know that our youth may be navigating various challenges, whether it be trauma, life-transitions, or housing instability, our Clinical Program is one of the many vital ways we provide both immediate and long-term support.
Healing begins here
Our Clinical Program is designed to meet youth where they are, which means collaborating closely with other SPY teams and offering everything from crisis counseling, to individual and group therapy, to substance use counseling. Beyond traditional therapy, the clinical program curates empowering group experiences like the Boundaries Workshop Series, which teaches youth how to establish and uphold boundaries in their personal lives and aims to provide tools and a chance to learn in a safe, affirming environment.
But the work doesn’t stop there. The Clinical Program also oversees SPY’s Connect LA and Pregnant & Parenting Programs:
Connect LA fosters social connection through group outings and experiences that build strong social networks. Regardless if youth are new to Los Angeles or simply rebuilding their support system, Connect LA reminds them that community is a core part of healing.
Additionally, our Reunification & Relocation Services within the Connect LA program support youth who are seeking to reconnect with chosen or biological family outside of Los Angeles. We cover travel costs, help them plan, and offer six months of post-move support.
The Pregnant & Parenting Program provides a wide spectrum of services, from diapers and supplies to therapy, wellness groups, and case management. Our goal is for young parents to feel supported in building healthy futures for their families.
The People Behind the Care
Image: Suzanne Gothard, Clinical Director
Image: Ashley Jones, Therapist and Clinical Intern Supervisor
The heart of SPY’s clinical work is a small but mighty team led by Clinical Director Suzanne Gothard, a seasoned clinician with more than 20 years of experience in community-based work.
Suzanne is joined by Ashley Jones, SPY’s Health and Wellness Therapist and Clinical Intern Supervisor, who not only carries her own caseload but also mentors the next generation of social workers.
In addition to Suzanne and Ashley, SPY’s Clinical team includes a Senior Clinical Supervisor (Kim Low), Health and Wellness Therapist (Myesha Reynolds), Substance Use Specialist (Matt Wilson), a Youth and Family Health and Wellness Therapist (Michelle Ortiz), and a team of Clinical Interns. The entire department is overseen by Chief Program Officer Noelle Stanfield.
Access Without Barriers
Youth can begin receiving clinical services immediately when crisis counseling is needed. For those seeking longer-term therapy, there may be a waiting period depending on caseload.
SPY offers both short and long-term treatment with short-term being 10 sessions or less, and long-term being 11+ sessions. SPY’s therapists strive to provide flexible support by offering in-person sessions at our Drop-In Center or remote sessions that work best for our youth. Some of our staff work at multiple locations to meet the needs of our youth - the Substance Use Specialist offers onsite programming at our Emergency Housing site and our Pregnant & Parenting Therapist will resume onsite services at our Family Housing sites soon.
Therapists typically manage a caseload of up to 20 youth, always trying to strike a balance between short and long term clients. Our therapists know that our members are all uniquely different and have their own goals and aspirations they’re working toward, which means that each member that meets with our therapists receive personalized plans best suited to them.
As Ashley explains:
“When I work with members we’ll set SMART goals. We have conversations around their initial goals and will go through why those are their goals and sometimes their goals change, so we make sure we explore why something no longer resonates with them. I like to have those conversations so we can pivot as needed.”
Creating a Culture of Trust
Many youth come to SPY having been hurt by systems that were supposed to help. That’s why creating a sense of trust is at the core of our clinical work.
Suzanne shares:
“Members have shared that previously they didn’t trust mental health services or therapy, but that therapy at SPY was such a different experience where they felt like people were finally listening and caring about what they were saying. Hearing about how it’s been a reparative process and allowed folks to trust in accessing care to reach their goals has been powerful.”
Through member-driven progress reviews, the team regularly hears from youth about their growth. This feedback affirms that with the right support, transformation and reaching their goals is possible.
When SPY Can’t Do It Alone
Our network of partners ensures SPY youth have access to a myriad of services, which is why we partner with local clinics. Most notably Venice Family Clinic, who we not only refer to, but welcome their services at our Drop-In Center, such as medical support, psychiatry, and substance use counseling to provide to youth. When needed, we refer youth to full-service mental health partners or outpatient clinics, ensuring no young person stops receiving the support they need.
The Path Forward: We Need You
The need is great, and our Clinical Team is small. But the demand for mental health care among youth experiencing homelessness is growing. As Ashley puts it:
“Our youth deserve comprehensive and readily accessible care. I love that at SPY, youth can get therapy free of charge and feel supported. It makes accomplishing their goals a lot easier when they feel they have people that are in their corner. We’re doing amazing work, but we need help to grow our program.”
Suzanne echoes this call to action:
“Our members deserve access to high-quality health services. We work hard to de-stigmatize therapy and provide healing spaces. And we need additional resources to meet the high demand from young people in our community for accessible high quality care.”
At SPY, we believe every young person deserves a chance to heal and grow. With your support, we can continue expanding these life-changing services and ensure that no one has to do it alone. If you’d like to make a gift to support our Clinical Services and all the work we do at SPY, click here.