KILLEEN, TX — Thousands of kids around the country find themselves in impossible or dangerous situations and need somewhere to go for help.
That is where the folks with Safe Place come in.
”Small Businesses, libraries, and different agencies partner with National Safe Place to create kind of a like, a first stop for youth that are in need,” said Darrell Ross, Central Texas Youth Services and Safe Place Coordinator.
Now one of those partners will be Killeen ISD.
”We talk about safety and safety of our facilities and campuses throughout the district and this just fit perfectly,” said Killeen ISD Superintendent John Craft. “We want to make sure that individuals know that our schools are in fact places that are there in the event of a need and they can go and seek refuge.”
Partnering with Safe Place will give access to immediate help to youth in crisis for any reason.
”Every employee at the school district will be trained to know exactly what Safe Place is,” said Ross. “The way we envision it is that, if a youth needs the services, they can go to anybody on campus and say 'Hey, I need Safe Place.”
If a child or teen is in a situation that keeps them from being able to go home, they will be taken to the youth shelter in Killeen for further assistance.
”If that is the case, we do notify their parents of where they are," said Ross. "If it is a situation that involves something like abuse or where the child is being harmed, we notify CPS."
The goal is to help as many kids as possible, especially in one of the largest school districts in Central Texas.
”When you look at how, geographically, our campuses are laid throughout the district, they’re in the middle of neighborhoods in most cases. So, we just thought it was a good fit,” said Craft.
If you are a youth in need of help for any reason, just look for the Safe Place sign and ask for help.
