From Kalisha’s Desk—March Edition

This month, Youth Emergency Services (YES) is proud to recognize National Safe Place Week, March 15–21!

Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program that helps young people quickly find safety during a crisis. Across the Omaha metro, participating businesses and community organizations prominently display a yellow Safe Place sign in their space to let youth know that help is near. When a young person enters one of these designated Safe Place locations and asks for help, onsite staff contact trained professionals who can respond right away and connect them with the support they need.

As the Safe Place agency for the Omaha metro area, YES works with community partners to recruit Safe Place sites, train staff, and ensure help is close by and available when a young person needs it. Since July 2025, YES has responded to 114 calls through the Safe Place program—each one representing a young person who needed immediate support and a safe place to turn. This network of locations helps make sure youth can quickly access safety, support, and the resources they need during difficult moments.

Ultimately, YES is here to walk alongside youth as they move from crisis toward safety, stability, and independence. Safe Place is one of the many ways we work with our community to ensure young people always have somewhere safe to turn.

If you or someone you know needs help right now, call the 24-hour YES Safe Place crisis line at 402.578.SAFE (402.578.7233).