Hillsborough County offers over 200 Safe Place locations for youth in need
You may have seen the bright yellow signs hanging on buildings throughout the community, but do you know what they mean? Safe Place is a national initiative that has been locally managed by Hillsborough County Children's Services for over 30 years. It provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need.
National Safe Place Week is held during the third full week in March (March 15-21 in 2026) to honor this outreach and prevention program and recognize the organizations and individuals who provide this safety net for youth. Whether they've had a fight with their parents or are fleeing domestic abuse, youth ages 10-17 can visit any of the hundreds of Safe Place locations in Hillsborough County, most of which are open 24/7, to get assistance. From fire stations to libraries, and even many McDonald's locations, there are staff ready to help.
How Safe Place works
1. A child between the ages of 10 and 17 years old enters a Safe Place and asks for help.
2. The employee at the Safe Place location finds a comfortable place for the youth to wait while the employee calls Hillsborough County Children's Services, the licensed Safe Place agency.
3. Within an hour, a qualified Safe Place volunteer or agency staff member will arrive to talk to the child and, if necessary, provide transportation to the Hillsborough County Children's Services campus.
4. Once at the campus, counselors meet with the youth and provide support. Children's Services staff makes sure the youth and their family receive the help and professional services they need.
Find a Safe Place
Youth in crisis can text SAFE with their current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) and within seconds receive a message with the closest Safe Place site and the phone number to Children's Services. Additionally, a digital Safe Place map shows all locations, including addresses and phone numbers. To learn more about Safe Place and other services offered by Children's Services, visit HCFL.gov/Children.