The mission of the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic is to provide quality mental health services to a community in great need by ensuring easy access and promoting early intervention. The Clinic enhances the mental health and well-being of children and youth ages 0-25 years, and their caregivers, by:

• Providing family-centered, culturally sensitive and clinically sound mental health programs in an atmosphere that fosters emotional and social growth.
• Providing specialized educational services to seriously emotionally disturbed children and youth who have failed in other settings.
• Advocating on behalf of children and their families in order to secure needed services.
• Training mental health professionals and promoting innovative new approaches.
• Promoting strategic collaborative efforts with schools, preschools and other human services and advocacy agencies in Central and South Central Los Angeles.
• Providing follow-along services to clients enrolled in Clinic services prior to age 21, through their 25th birthday, when indicated.
• Conducting ongoing evaluations of Clinic services to ensure effective outcomes; and conducting research on Clinic services and participating in appropriate research studies conducted by experts in mental health and related fields.

Therapeutic Goals

• Help children and youth who are mentally ill, seriously emotionally disturbed, abused or at risk for mental health problems to function in a healthy manner at home, in school and in the community, ensuring that services are offered at the lowest level of care possible.
• Support primary caregivers in their efforts to strengthen and preserve the integrity of their families.
• Treat adult family members, as appropriate, in support of family-centered services.
• Treat adults who face barriers to employment due to mental health issues.