The Boys & Girls Club site located at 901 N. Railroad Ave. in Santa Maria has been designated a "Safe Place" where youth in crisis can seek immediate help and resources.
Safe Place is a nationwide outreach and prevention program for youth 18 years of age and younger. It aims to provide an option for young people who feel they have nowhere else to turn and helps connect them with professional services.
The Boys & Girls Club will be the second Safe Place location in Santa Maria. The Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center, located at 600 S. McClelland St., was added to the National Safe Place Network last year.
The Santa Maria Fire Department is also in the process of designating its five fire stations as Safe Place sites.
There are more than 20,000 Safe Place sites across the country.
Youth in crisis may text the word "SAFE" to 4-HELP (44357) for the nearest Safe Place location.
