Supportive Services
Homelessness does not have a one-size-fits-all solution.
LAFH’s employment services program engaged 1,005 participants in 2023 and helped 138 participants secure employment.
At every stage of their journey, from the time a person or family walks through the front door of LAFH to the time they walk through the front door of their new home, our staff work hand-in-hand with participants to assess, engage, and re-engage with them, ensuring that everyone receives the customized support and solutions they need to stabilize their lives.
Our comprehensive service model includes a wide range of services. These may include connections to mental and physical health care; trauma recovery services, including resources for survivors of domestic violence; substance use disorder treatment; employment and education support; financial literacy; and youth enrichment programs. If we don’t provide services directly, we leverage our broad network of partner agencies across the region to meet the specialized needs of our community.
LAFH’s employment program is a key component of helping our program participants regain financial stability. Our employment counselors seek to address the underlying causes of unemployment and underemployment of people transitioning out of homelessness by providing career readiness workshops, resume-building guidance, and mock interviews, along with other forms of customized job placement support.
2,145 participants received a total of 6,616 mental health services in 2023.
Participant Spotlight
Mark
Mark was born inside a prison and placed into the foster care system, meant to provide support but where he faced abuse that instilled deep fear in him as a child. After running away from his foster home, he spent the next 15 years trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and addiction. Through prayer, meditation, and a determined focus on self-improvement, Mark connected with resources through LA Family Housing and was able to rebuild his life and find a path towards healing.
Attending various support service programs like mental health services and substance use disorder treatment, Mark received the tools and techniques necessary to navigate the challenges he faced. Despite setbacks, Mark secured housing and found solace in his first apartment in Los Angeles. This became his home, and he was determined to protect it.
When Mark discovered the prevalence of gang activity and drugs near his new home, he advocated for himself and for a safer environment, a step towards asserting his needs and boundaries.
With the support of his LAFH Housing Navigator, Joanne, Mark relocated to a new area, closer to the tranquility of the mountains. Today, he celebrates over two years of sobriety and looks forward to pursuing his GED and embracing life's opportunities with renewed vigor.
Partner Highlight/Anthem Blue Cross Foundation
LAFH is grateful for the support of new partners who joined us in 2023, including Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, which helped us launch a program to bring more substance use disorder services to people living in our permanent supportive housing (PSH) sites. While we previously worked with community partners to deliver these services in our PSH locations, LAFH understood that to significantly support the recovery journeys of our participants, we also needed site-based staff delivering direct treatment and trusted counseling. Anthem Blue Cross Foundation helped us build the basis for this program with a $250,000 investment over three years. Thanks to Anthem, we now have certified LAFH staff providing on-site substance use disorder services at our 11 PSH sites, and are working to further expand this programming.