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…transitioning from
teens to adults on track to recovery
Introduction
 In our services for coming-of-age young adults
with mental illness – sometimes called “transition age
youth” – we help them prepare for life in the mainstream
community. Many of the young people we serve come from foster care,
so we help bridge the gap between the service systems for children
and adults to help them make a smooth transition to adult services
and adult lives.
The needs of these young people are a growing
concern in our community and across California. Almost 70 percent
of young adults on the
streets “aged out” of foster care with no support and
few skills to survive on their own. This transition is even more
difficult for young people who are struggling with mental illness.
Along with building a bridge between service
systems, our Transition Age Youth (TAY) programs help young people
build the skills to
live independently. We focus on the types of skills they need – education,
employment, housing – to help them move into adulthood and
the community at large on a path to recovery.
Services
Our two programs, serving Long Beach and the Antelope Valley,
provide a welcoming setting for young people ages 17 to 25,
where they can develop support among their peers and see the
mainstream community as their future.
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Personal Service Plans
We start by working one-to-one
to help young adults decide on a direction for developing
the skills they need for homes, jobs, friends and active
lives
in the community.
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Mental Health Services
We have a psychiatrist
to serve each of our programs. They take time to talk
with the
young people and explain mental illness and medications.
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Housing
Assistance
Many of the young adults we help come from
foster care, so we help them find apartments in the
community. We train them in the skills of daily life, such
as shopping, cooking, cleaning and being a good neighbor.
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Education
Because less than half of youth with mental
illness have a high school diploma, this is another priority
service. In supporting their education efforts, we include
an emphasis on GED programs and disabled student programs
at
community colleges.
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Work Training
We help young people get
ready for the work world and find employment; for many,
at their first
jobs.
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Skills and Support Groups
We focus on areas such
as communication, hygiene and conflict resolution.
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Money
Management
We coach young people in how to take care
of their finances so they can manage on their own.
We help them learn how to develop a budget, open a bank
account, shop and pay their bills on time.
Funders
Our Transition Age Youth Programs are funded through service contracts with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. We are grateful for the support of The California Wellness Foundation, Josephine Gumbiner Foundation, Boeing Company and our donors that help enhance our services.
Contact
Our Antelope Valley TAY program, which opened in 1995, is located at 43423 Division Street, Suite 107, in Lancaster, California 93535. Its phone number is 661-726-2850.
In Long Beach, our TAY program is located at 2025 Seventh St., Long Beach, California 90804. The phone number is 562-284-0108.
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Administration
Offices