Our History
Established in 2000, La Cultura Cura (LCC) inherits its vision to create healthy alternatives for youth from the Real Alternatives Program (RAP), a youth organization developed in the 1970s. Program staff works in the community, schools, and through the courts to ensure that youth and their parents receive the advocacy and intervention services they need.
La Cultura Cura’s programs and services focus on the experience facing Latinx/Chicanx youth in San Francisco. Our goal is to have a positive, lasting impact on the lives of our young clients so that they may positively impact the health and wellness of their communities. We do this through a combination of services and innovative cultural programming while our staff strive to develop meaningful and consistent relationships with youth to expand their life skills, reinforce positive cultural identity, and make positive contributions to their community.
Our Vision
La Cultura Cura is about supporting the self-determination of youth! We believe that la cultura heal; thus, all healing practices occur within a cultural framework where healing is about community building and empowerment. We operate under the premise that cultural and traditional activities are indeed wellness practices and not just manifestations of our identity. Each subculture in the trajectory of the Latinx/Chicanx/ Indigenous experience has a set of embedded healing practices and coping mechanisms that should be celebrated and strengthened. La Cultura Cura promotes a reflection of youth culture, facilitates of critical consciousness and self-reflection, the teaching of En Lak'ech (you are my other self), social-emotional wellness, and an understanding of individual, group, historical, and cultural relationships.
Our work is to provide quality prevention and wellness services for Latinx/Chicanx youth in San Francisco. Our struggle is to break systematic cycles of violence by offering culturally empowering services and activities. Our presence is in the community, schools, and courts to ensure that youth and their parents receive the support they need. Our heartfelt hope is to develop meaningful and consistent relationships with youth to expand their life skills, reinforce positive cultural identity, and develop their leadership. Our ultimate goal is to create a positive and lasting impact on youth to find their own voice and express their true selves.
Our Referral Process
Services at La Cultura Cura are free of charge. They include school-based groups, individual case management, and therapy services for Latinx youth in San Francisco. All youth accessing La Cultura Cura's services (or their service provider) must first complete and submit a referral form. To make a referral, please:
- If you are a service provider, inform the youth and their family that you are referring them to La Cultura Cura for services.
- Complete La Cultura Cura's referral form, which can be obtained by calling (415) 229-0539 or downloaded here.
- Fax the completed referral form to our La Cultura Cura's Intake Specialist at (415) 859-5793 or e-mail to [email protected]
Our Services
| Individual Services |
Individual and/or Family Therapy is offered to youth ages 12-24 who have been affected by trauma in the community or are at risk of becoming victims or aggressors. Services are offered to youth who have expressed readiness for active participation in therapy and meet medical necessity based on assessment. The services consist of assessment, treatment plan development, individual and family therapy, and coordination of collateral services. Services are offered to support youth with reducing mental health stressors and risk factors to improve functioning consistent with the goals of learning, development, independent living skills, and enhanced self-sufficiency.
Clinical Case Management (CCM) is offered to youth ages 12-21 who meet medical necessity and consent to completing a clinical assessment. Youth may be involved with the Juvenile Justice System, have legal issues stemming from immigration, or have been referred by a system of care partner due to a clinical “crisis.” LCC Mental Health Specialists conduct an assessment to determine diagnosis, individual and/or family case management service needs and develop an individualized treatment plan. Depending on the outcome of their assessment, youth receive 3 to 5 hours of weekly treatment support to address their behavioral health concerns and psycho-social needs.
Restorative and Intensive Case Management (RCM or ICM) is offered to youth ages 12-24 who are engaged in Juvenile or Adult Criminal Justice Systems. CM services consist of a minimum of one to three weekly contacts to provide linkage and referral services to address youth’s service plan needs. Participants receive a psycho-social assessment to determine individual and family support goals. This service usually ranges from 6 to 12 months and is targeted at youth actively engaged with the Criminal Justice System and on Formal Probation.
Mentoring activities include 1-to-1 supportive sessions/interventions to make a positive impact on youth’s self-esteem, better relationships with parents and peers, improve academic performance, and reduce and prevent risky behavior. A mentor will engage in a supportive relationship with youth and work collaboratively to identify their strengths and interests to foster educational goal(s) attainment, access to culturally relevant programming, skill-building opportunities, and social/emotional building opportunities. Youth will have the opportunity to practice skill-building individually and in group participation and will have access to peer socialization activities/outings. Mentors will also work with youth to support them in accessing culturally relevant group interventions, school and skill-building opportunities, and social/emotional building opportunities.
| Group Services |
Latinas Unidas is a leadership development group focused on addressing the unique needs of young Latinas by taking youth on a journey of self-discovery to Increase self-esteem, address and reduce risk factors, and promote the role of female leadership in our community.
Trauma-Informed Workshops: LCC offers periodic psycho-education workshops for youth and parents to address the impacts of interpersonal, community, and migration trauma. The multi-session workshops for parents with children and youth ages 10 to 24 are offered two times per year. Please contact the LCC Program Coordinator to inquire about our next session.
How La Cultura Cura is supporting the community during the pandemic
Shelter-in-place regulations have deeply impacted youth throughout San Francisco. Despite their necessity to reduce community spread, their social circles have shrunk, and their ability to socialize and build meaningful relationships has diminished during a crucial developmental phase of their adolescence. Since March, they’ve had to adapt to new ways of learning, new ways of interacting with family and those with whom they reside, and new ways of navigating their own feelings and emotions. Youth have expressed being bored, anxious, and depressed; as the pandemic continues, they also face financial hardships, food scarcity in their homes, and increased tension between individuals living at home. This is what we're doing to support youth during the pandemic:
LCC providers continue to provide all LCC services remotely through telehealth and telephone services. This includes linking youth and their families to available resources and working with them one-on-one to support them and their families and navigate SFUSD distance learning and academic expectations.
LCC providers are also providing therapeutic and healing interventions to help strengthen youth’s ability to develop healthy coping strategies during times of crisis.
LCC providers work with caregivers to provide psycho-education and parenting tips as the families navigate a new normal.
Geneva Site: 5128 Mission St. San Francisco CA 94122
For questions please call us at (415) 229-0539
Office hours from Monday to Friday
By appointment only—9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Drop-in Hours—2:00pm to 5:00 pm
By appointment only—5:00 pm to 7:00 pmMission Site: 2919 Mission St, San Francisco CA 94110
(415) 229-0500
Hours Monday to Friday
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
