Innovations for TAY at Daniel’s Place

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

East LA West LA City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Step Up has been serving transitional age youth (TAY) since 1998 exclusively through Daniel’s Places and was one of the first supportive housing communities for TAY (Daniel’s Village) in Los Angeles funded by MHSA. From its past work, Step Up understands that the services needed for TAY must be developmentally appropriate and differ from those needed by adults. 
The 2024 LA County Point-in-Time count revealed 2,406 TAY are experiencing homelessness, with many facing severe barriers to independent living: 57% struggle with serious mental health disorders, 20% rate their health as “fair” or “poor”, and 33% lack a high school diploma or a GED. Only 31% are employed, earning a median monthly income of $450. Additionally, nearly 33% have faced jail or probation, and 20% have encountered the juvenile justice system. TAY are at grave risk of entering a cycle of chronic homelessness, reliance on social services, and social isolation.

Step Up is launching the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Pilot Program at Daniel’s Place (DP), aimed at implementing EMDR therapy for transition age youth (TAY) facing mental health challenges. This initiative builds on a successful research phase in which the agency identified the critical need for advanced therapeutic interventions to address trauma-related issues among its TAY members.
With three clinicians now licensed and trained in EMDR techniques, Step Up is prepared to roll out this important program. Insights gathered from TAY during the research phase have indicated a strong interest in EMDR as a potential method for addressing symptoms of trauma, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
The EMDR Pilot Program allows Step Up to formally integrate this evidence-based practice into its services, ensuring that members can access the rapid and effective mental health support they need. As the agency expands its capacity to offer this innovative therapy, Step Up is actively seeking additional funding to sustain and enhance this crucial service, reinforcing its commitment to promoting positive mental health outcomes for the TAY it serves.

Addressing homelessness and mental health is one of the most pressing issues facing Los Angeles today. Step Up also understands the challenges for its Daniel’s Place members to remain engaged in therapy for a sustained period due to busy schedules with school and work, wanting to be more independent, and the stigma around being in a mental health program. Through EMDR, Daniel’s Place can provide members with a therapy modality that addresses the root cause of symptoms while reducing the overall time they're in treatment. By expanding the available offerings of mental health services at Daniel’s Place to include EMDR and demonstrating the efficacy of this modality, results will provide Los Angeles public agencies with another tool for combating youth homelessness and improving the lives of young adults experiencing severe mental health conditions.