Project Name: Quick Start for Youth Program
Project Description: The Quick Start for Youth program within the LA General Medical Center Foundation aims to efficiently connect high-risk priority youth with addiction specialists, with new collaborations between LA County agencies and community members. This initiative will extend the medical model for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) care. Our primary population is current or former child welfare and juvenile justice-involved youth, with a particular focus on those in out-of-home care, specifically foster care.
We encourage medically-driven approaches to effectively address the needs of youth who are using or misusing opioids and/or stimulants. Long-term, this will lay the foundation for sustainable enhanced programming within County systems. We support successful engagement of youth in their medical home, and ensure medical providers are fluent in treating youth with addiction. By linking youth with dedicated specialists, training service providers in evidence-based strategies, standardizing screening processes, and promoting engagement in medical homes, the Quick Start for Youth seeks to significantly impact the lives of high-risk youth, fostering a supportive path to recovery and well-being.
Primary Contact:
Name: Lela Mazdyasnian
Position: Addiction and Community Medicine Coordinator
Email: LMazdyasnian@dhs.lacounty.gov
Wellness Center community phone number: (213) 784-9191