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Northen California Family Center

A Foster Family Agency
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Safe Place Program
 

Safe Place Beginnings
 

The Safe Place Program is a national program, begun in 1983. In 1999, we began the Safe Place Program in Contra Costa County in order to increase access to shelter services for youth. Safe Place is a distinct community outreach project that relies upon community agencies including the YMCA, The Contra Costa Fire District, and the County Connection bus line. Safe Place increases a youth’s access to help. Any child can walk into a Safe Place location and request assistance throughout the county. The location notifies the Northern California Family Center that a youth needs help. Crisis Services can then be offered. 


Runaways need more help!: Estimating the number of runaways from the general population, suggests that in this area, the number of children who run away or are kicked out of their homes exceed 8,100 per year: 5,800 in Contra Costa and 2,300 in Solano County. In 1991, 460 runaways got shelter, but the organization providing this program was closed in 1992. It was sheltering 11% of the total runaway population. Presently, with 5,800 runaways in Contra Costa County, only 150 youth under 18 are getting shelter.  Now, less than 3% of runaways are getting shelter. This is lower than any other at-risk group.  The Contra Costa County Consolidated Plan (2005-9) states: “There are many runaway youth who need a place to go. Most of the homeless and runaway youth are not prepared to live on-their-own. There is a discrepancy between services for youth under the age of 18 versus over the age of 18
 
 
The Northern California Family Center has been effectively diverting children away from institutional placement since we began sheltering runaways. We have accomplished successful after-care placement with family or extended family 85%-89% of the time and when we include 7% of our placements to Child Protective Services, we achieve off-the-street placement 95% - 97% of the time. The minimum expense for foster care is $20,000 per year. We will effectively divert 50 youth away from institutional placement each year. As a result, we estimate that we will save the community $1,000,000 in long-term institutional placement costs each year: a cost benefit of at least $3 for every dollar spent. Most importantly, this program keeps many youth connected with their families or extended families as it helps to secure a safe living arrangement.