The Routz housing program operated by Larkin Street Youth Services provides supportive housing to youth with severe mental health needs. Either due to the trauma of life on the streets or due to events that precipitated their homelessness, many homeless youth are in great need of mental health services and/or substance abuse services. Routz provides 22 beds for youth with severe mental illness or severe emotional disturbance.

With funding through the State’s Mental Health Services Act and through a close collaboration with the City of San Francisco’s Community Behavioral Health Services, the Routz housing program enables Larkin Street to intervene into behavioral health problems which, if left untreated, can contribute to long-term chronic homelessness.

To provide housing to homeless youth aged 18 to 24 and provide comprehensive behavioral health services.

In 2009, Routz provided 4,424 individual counseling sessions to youth with serious mental illness. Stable housing was maintained by 82% of participants.