Safe Place

 

The Columbus Fire Department is committed to protecting the youth in our community. In September of 2015, all 6 Columbus Fire Department stations became nationally registered Safe Place site locations.

When teens find themselves in crisis or need a place to stay, they should know how and where to get help. Our nation’s young people deserve safety and shelter and many youth feel they don’t have either.

Thanks to Safe Place, immediate help is never too far away. Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. As a community initiative, the program designates schools, fire stations, libraries, and other youth-friendly organizations as Safe Place locations, which display the yellow and black sign. Safe Place locations extend the doors of the local youth service agency or shelter to support teens in crisis situations, creating a safety net for youth.

In Indiana:

  • 1,277 youth were identified as homeless during the January 29, 2014.
  • Over 13,000 youth were identified as a Child in Need of Services case in 2012?
  • There were nearly 18,500 juvenile delinquency cases filed in 2012?

The Safe Place Coalition addresses each of these problems and makes it possible for any youth in crisis to seek help on their own initiative.

 How Safe Place helps:

  • 1,600 businesses, fire stations, buses and community locations, designated as Safe Places across Indiana, are ready to help youth.
  • More than 140,000 youth learned how to access help when needed through Safe Place outreach efforts in the last two years and…
  • Nearly 1,500 youth have been helped in person or were counseled by telephone.
  • Youth may also get help through a texting program by receiving, through text, the location of the nearest Safe Place site or youth shelter, the shelter phone number or accessing the option to text live with a mental health professional.

For more information: Safe Place