Did you know this is National Safe Place Week 2026 is observed from March 15 to March 21, 2026.This annual event occurs during the third full week of March to honor the Safe Place program, a national outreach and prevention system for youth in crisis.
Safe Place is a National Program administered locally by The Children’s Aid Society- Teen Shelter that provides immediate help for youth in crisis. Through a network of more than 250 businesses, shelters, and community partners, Safe Place ensures every young person has a safe place to turn when they need it most. Our goal to keep children safe and families together, which is why we’re proud that our Teen Emergency Shelter is a designated Safe Place location. If you or someone you know needs help, find a Safe Place location today by texting “SAFE” and your location to 4HELP. We are here for you.
Purpose: To ensure young people (typically ages 10-17) have immediate access to safety and supportive resources when facing abuse, homelessness, or other crises.
Safe Place Sites: There are over 22,000 Safe Place locations nationwide, including businesses like QuikTrip, libraries, and fire stations, all marked with a bright yellow diamond logo.
How to Get Help:
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- TXT 4 HELP: Youth can text the word “SAFE” and their current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) to receive the address of the nearest Safe Place site and contact information for the local youth service agency.
- In-Person: Any young person can enter a location displaying the Safe Place sign and ask for help. Staff are trained to provide a safe space and contact a licensed agency for professional support. Locally you can visit United Grocery Stores, Walmart, Quick Trip, Fire Stations, Boys and Girls Clubs, and you can reach out to your guidance counselors at schools. In our rural areas we also have contacts at the sheriff’s departments.
- Call our office directly (Teen Emergency Shelter) and speak to staff at 940-322-7671
Our History:
The Teen Emergency Shelter opened in 1992 is celebrates 34 years of service, specifically to meet the needs of homeless and runaway youth, deter school dropouts, and strengthen families. The TES is an eight bed coed facility licensed to accept kids ages 10 to 17. The TES is the only facility of its kind within a 100-mile radius. Our agency provides RHY shelter services to the following counties: Archer, Baylor Childress, Clay, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, Jack, Montague, Wichita , Wilbarger, Wise, & Young. We also serve youth in DFPS Regions 2 and 3E of Texas.
Admission to the shelter is voluntary, but often the result of a referral by a school, Juvenile Probation, CPS, the Police, or one of the 35 Safe Place sites in the area. An integral part of the Teen Shelter’s program is the counseling provided to teens and their families. The purpose of the counseling is to defuse the crisis situation, identify the problems that led to the crisis, provide the family with coping skills, and encourage an environment in which the youth can mature into a reasonably content and responsible adult. Youths receive independent living and social skills training, with an emphasis on education. Aftercare counseling is provided at no cost to the family for six months. The Teen Shelter is partially funded by a Health and Human Services RHY Basic Center Grant.
