November is National

Runaway Prevention Month

11 November 2009 - TLW

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) and National Safe Place (NSP) are jointly observing November as National Runaway Prevention Month.

"Each year an estimated 2 million youth run away," stated a press release on the month-long observance by NSP.  "Most young people do not run away to experience additional freedoms, but rather are running away from a problem that they cannot solve, according to Department of Justice statistics from 2006."

A Department of Justice study from 2002 indicates that 21 percent of runaway youth had been either physically or sexually abused within their homes within the year prior to their leaving.

The National Runaway Switchboard reports receiving more than 100,000 calls annually from runaways and families of runaways, with over 7,000 calls from Florida.

Lutheran Services Florida and National Safe Place are supporting the efforts of the National Runway Switchboard and the National Network for Youth in the fifth annual national public education campaign to raise awareness of youth runaway issues, and to educate Americans about solutions that help prevent youth from running away.

LSF has joined a national initiative to provide youth with another way to access help through the National Safe Place “Txt 4 Help” program, a 24-hour text-for-support service for youth in crisis.  The “Txt 4 Help” program will make getting help for teens easier. 

Youth in crisis can text the word SAFE and their current location to the number 69866, and they will receive an address for the closest Safe Place site and contact number for the local youth shelter.  LSF coordinates five Safe Place youth shelters across Florida, in Ft. Myers, Crestview, Pensacola and Oakland Park. 

In cities that don’t yet have a Safe Place program, the youth will receive the name and number of the youth shelter. If there is not a Safe Place program or youth shelter, the youth will receive the number for the National Runaway Switchboard.

Lutheran Services Florida supports runaway and homeless youth through its five shelters as well as through on-going individual and family counseling (CINS/FINS).

Click on these links to read more about LSF’s Youth Shelters and Counseling programs.

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