Mountain Haven launches Safe Place®

Location: 1034 East Main Street, Level 2 Morehead KY 40351

Mountain Haven launches Safe Place® program for youth

Outreach program provides immediate help and safety for all youth in crisis

Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky - May 1, 2018 – Black and yellow diamond-shaped signs will be displayed on local businesses and organizations around town in the very near future. On May 1, Mountain Comprehensive Care Center’s Mountain Haven will launch Safe Place, an outreach and prevention program for youth in need of immediate help and safety. The Safe Place Kick-Off will be held at 11am – 2pm on May 1 at the Rowan County Board of Education, 415 W Sun Street in Morehead.

Mountain Haven Program Management and Safe Place Coordinators look forward to seeing the capacity at which Safe Place will affect the youth of Rowan County.  “Statistics show that Rowan County has over 600 youth with unstable housing,” she states, “Those numbers are shocking, but it’s important to recognize there are solutions.”  Multiple local businesses, such as CoffeeTree Books and Helping Hands, have agreed to register as Safe Place locations.  “Bringing Safe Place to an Appalachian community, where people so often feel alone, is an honor. I hope to see more and more youth realizing that their town is here to help them.  There are adults who care and, most importantly, who believe they deserve happiness.”

Mountain Haven’s Rowan County Safe Place initiative is part of a national network of Safe Place programs in 37 states and the District of Columbia. More than 20,000 community businesses and organizations nationwide display the yellow Safe Place sign, making help readily available for youth. Safe Place locations include libraries, YMCAs, fire stations, public buses, and social service facilities. Mountain Haven hopes to continue developing partnerships with local businesses and organizations to better serve our communities.

It is estimated over one million youth run away from home each year due to abuse, neglect, family conflicts and other issues. The Safe Place program is an option for young people who feel they have nowhere to turn.

The Safe Place program helps more than 12,000 youth annually and serves more than 1,400 communities across the country.

National Safe Place Network also operates TXT 4 HELP, a 24/7 text-for-support service for youth in crisis. Teens can text the word “safe” and their current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) and receive a message with the closest Safe Place location and the number for the local youth shelter. Users also have the option to text interactively with a mental health professional for more help.

Mountain Haven – Mountain Comprehensive Care Center

MCCC’s Mountain Haven is a homeless shelter that provides temporary housing and care to runaway and homeless youth, 12-17 years old, and provides 24/7 safe and secure housing for youth of all backgrounds. Group discussions, life skills training, community engagement, and counseling services are provided to support the mind, body, and spirit of every child who enters.

About National Safe Place Network

National Safe Place Network (NSPN) provides quality training and technical support for youth and family service organizations across the country. Along with being a leading membership organization offering tailored organizational development, training and professional development packages, NSPN also operates the nationally recognized programs Safe Place, HTR³, and the Family and Youth Services Bureau’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC). To learn more, please visit www.nspnetwork.org.