Spotlighting our staff

Celebrating the Work of our Mental Health Specialists

Lucine

As we honor National Social Work Month, we turn our attention to the invaluable contributions of the Mental Health Specialists at LA Family Housing. Every day, these heroes advance our mission by addressing the complex mental health needs of people transitioning out of homelessness, applying their clinical expertise to offer vital support and personalized care. This month, we shine a light on Lucine Tuteryan, MSW, ACSW, and how her work in the field has made a positive impact in the lives of those she serves.

Lucine, like many staff members at LAFH, did not come into this work by chance; rather, her background ignited her purpose in helping others. “Since I was little, my father and I would cook and pack food to distribute to the unhoused on all major holidays. I saw the impact that a hot meal and kind words had. Those car rides with my father shaped the way I thought about homelessness and how quickly one can fall into hard times.” Lucine’s childhood experiences fostered a sense of empathy that would later become the cornerstone of her career.

Joining LAFH was a natural progression for Lucine after interning with the agency during her graduate studies, and over her four-year tenure with LAFH, she has built great relationships with her team at our largest interim housing site, S. Mark Taper Foundation Bridge Housing (“The Taper”). A poignant experience with her first participant hugely impacted Lucine’s understanding of how she could make a difference in someone’s life. "I provided mental health support to a [particular] participant on a weekly basis for almost two years,” she recalls, “and was able to see just how much someone’s mental health plays a role in their housing status." As that participant’s mental health strengthened, so did their ability to process and make decisions.

Lucine emphasizes that addressing homelessness requires a trauma-informed lens to effectively combat the issue and achieve lasting solutions, which is what Mental Health Specialists do each day. Therefore, on behalf of all of us, we want to say Happy Social Worker Month and thank you to our Mental Health Specialists for their unwavering dedication and compassionate care, which serves as a beacon of hope for those we serve.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, over 27,000 people living on the street who had been homeless more than a year had a disabling health, mental health or substance use condition. LAFH understands how unhoused individuals are adversely affected by mental health issues, and that after they move indoors, the need for mental health support continues. Because our public contracts do not cover associated costs, LAFH relies on private funding from our generous supporters to hire Mental Health Specialists like Lucine and provide on-site mental health support as a proven way to reduce crises and build trust.