Programs and strategies

Mental Health & Substance Use

At La Clínica, we are committed to meeting all physical and behavioral health needs of our patients. Our holistic approach to care sees mental health as a vital component to healthy living.

Mental Health Treatment Services

La Clínica currently provides bilingual, culturally competent group, individual, and couples therapy, using a trauma-informed approach and specializing in family trauma, depression, PTSD, and dual diagnoses.

Behavioral Health Integration

La Clínica’s behavioral health and primary care services are co-located, and the behavioral health and medical care teams collaborate to achieve a fully integrated system of care. Our Primary Care Mental Health Therapist is part of the primary care team, removing barriers to access to mental health services by screening patients right away, linking them to services, and providing triage and assessments.

Telemental Health

La Clínica’s uses secure and confidential videoconferencing technology to deliver live, interactive mental health consultation between our mental health providers and patients. La Clínica´s Telemental Health initiative consists of two components: client on-Site/psychiatrist off-site or client off-site/mental health provider on-site. Through Telemental Health, La Clínica’s providers are reducing socioeconomic barriers and expanding access to critical psychiatric, mental health therapy to underserved, underinsured and or uninsured Limited English Proficient, Spanish-speaking Latino community in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.

Psychoeducational Group Intervention

La Clínica operates a counseling program called Mi Familia, which works to reduce the negative impact of traumatic stress and to improve overall stability within the family unit. In this 14 week-long program, families receive individual and family counseling treatment while attending weekly psycho-educational group interventions. Program participants learn about effective communication and stress management strategies while emphasizing abuse and trauma prevention. In 2010, the program was awarded the National Council of La Raza’s Strengthening Families Award.

Substance Use Treatment Program

La Clínca’s “Volviendo a Vivir” program is the only bilingual substance use program serving the Latino community in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. This is an intensive outpatient substance use treatment and HIV counseling and testing services program providing individual and group counseling, group support, mental health therapy, case management, and HIV testing and education. La Clínica is a Level I and Level 2 Recovery Support Services (RSS) provider through the DC Department of Behavior Health.

Volviendo a vivir

School-based Mental Health Program

In 2014, the Washington, D.C Metropolitan Area had a surge of young, unaccompanied immigrants fleeing endemic violence in Central America. In response to the needs of these young immigrants, La Clínica partnered with the Prince George’ County Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI@Schools) to launch a mental health and support program for youth. The program is housed in Northwestern High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland since 2015. Through individual counseling group sessions and case management, at-risk youth have a safe space to engage with their peers and express themselves while developing resilient and pro-social behavior.

Mi refugio