National Safe Place
Young people in crisis often don’t know where to turn. For some, the streets seem a better option than the instability or violence of home, or the bullying they endure at school. But the streets are not safe. A young person with nowhere to go is a target for predators. Runaways are more likely to drop out of high school and to live in poverty. YouthCare works to get young people off the streets and out of homelessness; a new partnership allows us to reach youth before they fall into homelessness.
National Safe Place is a program that quickly connects youth in crisis to help, through a network of local businesses designated as “Safe Places.” These resources help runaways resolve their crises and remain in a stable environment, safe from predators and with appropriate help.
When King County joined National Safe Place in 2011, YouthCare stepped up as the lead service provider and first responder, in partnership with Auburn Youth Resources, Friends of Youth, and Cocoon House. Currently, every King County Metro bus is a Safe Place. A youth in crisis has only to ask a bus driver for help, and he or she will be connected with YouthCare or one of our partner agencies. Within 45 minutes, a youth counselor will meet the young person and assess his or her needs, helping the youth get to shelter or return home.
If you need help (ages 12-17):
If you are in trouble—whether you need a place to stay or help at home or school—you can go to any Metro bus driver in King County and say "I need a safe place." The driver will arrange for you to be met by a youth counselor who can help you find shelter or other services. If you can't find a Metro bus, text the word "SAFE" to 69866 and you'll receive a text back with the closest Safe Place. If you need to talk to someone right away, reply with “2chat” and you’ll be able to text with a counselor.
You can also call YouthCare directly at (800) 495-7802, option 2, or click here to learn more about our shelter, housing, employment, and education programs for young people.
Become a Safe Place:
Your business can help keep our community’s children safe by opening its doors as a Safe Place site, where young people know they can ask for help and wait for that help to arrive. As a Safe Place site, you will receive training, and join the nearly 18,000 businesses and communities nationwide serving as Safe Places.
For more information, contact Jillian Hill, YouthCare’s Safe Place Coordinator at jillian.hill@youthcare.org.
