According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), one in seven young people between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away. Youth ages 12 to 17 are more at risk of homelessness than adults. 75 percent of runaways are female and the NCSL estimates of the number of pregnant homeless girls are between 6 and 22 percent. Here in the Coachella Valley we are not immune to these numbers.
In 2017, there were 2,380 youth reported as runaways in Riverside County. The SafeHouse Emergency Shelter Programs (Riverside and Thousand Palms) provided 700 young people with emergency crisis intervention services and over 6,000 youth were reached through their education and outreach programs. Their counselors provided over 23,170 hours of counseling and are proud to say they have reunited 97% of their youth into safe and stable environments.
SafeHouse has provided core essential services to runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth in Riverside County for twenty-eight years and in the desert since 2008. Their caring and qualified staff is available to provide assistance to youth and their families along with the community.
SafeHouse provides immediate help to youth and families experiencing crisis situations. Their staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for teens and their families who need help negotiating the often challenging road from childhood to independent adult life.
The overall program goals for SafeHouse are to:
- Provide immediate counseling and intervention services for variable and multiple needs.
- Reunite the youth with their family.
- Foster self-reliance and responsibility.
- Create an intervention point for runaway and homeless youth before they become juvenile offenders.
SafeHouse operates the Thousand Palms Emergency Shelter, centrally located in the Coachella Valley. Their 20-bed shelter is well equipped to handle youth in crisis ages 11-17. Shelter services include; 21-days of individual, group, and family counseling, on-site education, substance abuse education, skills lab, and aftercare.
For families who know they need help, but are not yet in crisis, SafeHouse offers early intervention services. Parents who are interested in early intervention are encouraged to call SafeHouse to set up a screening for their child. A Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) will guide them through program expectations and what the family as a whole will receive from their holistic approach to crisis intervention. They involve parents every step of the way. Weekly family counseling sessions are provided and parents are encouraged to participate in parenting classes, both while their child is in the program and after they graduate. Their goal is to open the lines of communication and build hope that things can get better, trust is rebuilt, and reunification be achieved.
SafeHouse also operates Harrison House, a 15-unit apartment complex located in Thousand Palms. Their 18-month program is designed to support homeless young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 who are seeking assistance in their movement from the streets to becoming independent and self-sufficient adults.
Services offered at Harrison house include:
- Weekly individual counseling with a Master’s Level counselor.
- Life-skills training.
- Medical health assistance for all tenants including, oral hygiene and medication management.
- Assistance with pursuing and preparing for secondary education including attainment of HS
- Diploma/GED and post-secondary education/vocational training.
- Assistance with preparing for and obtaining employment.
- Assistance with their credit through financial education training.
- A uniquely-designed, youth-centered service plan and one-on-one case management for youth who pass the probationary period (30-days) based on an assessment of the youth’s needs.
- Aftercare includes ongoing assistance/guidance once tenant has transitioned to permanent housing.
Volunteer Opportunities
The volunteer program at SafeHouse helps bring hope to some of the valley’s most disadvantaged youth. The volunteers serve as the heart of the organization and play a vital role by supporting staff in serving children from the Coachella Valley, and the surrounding areas. Their volunteers reflect compassion, selflessness, patience, and just plain love for others. It’s the open-handedness of the heart and soul that comes from people who volunteer at SafeHouse.
Volunteers assist in increasing the community’s awareness of children in crisis by representing the organization at community events and assisting in education and outreach of their mission.
Volunteers also lead groups with the kids and perform a variety of activities, both fun and educational. Some groups include: cooking, pickle ball, arts and crafts, fitness, calligraphy, yoga, and nutrition. Interns assist as support staff for direct care of clients; including supervising youth, answering crisis calls, daily reports and just being good role models for the youth.
Volunteer orientations are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 9am and the 4th Tuesday of every month at 5pm. To register contact Volunteer Coordinator, Jasmin Garcia-Lopez at jgarcialopez@operationsafehouse.org or (760) 601-4059.
For more information please contact: SafeHouse of the Desert, 72710 East Lynn Street, Thousand Palms, California 92276 (888) 343-4660. The website www.safehouseofthedesert.com as well as the “What’s Up SafeHouse App” on the Apple App Store or Google Play provide an easy way for youth to connect to the organization. The service is available 24/7, and is anonymous and free.
