Safe House

Brief Description

Safe House is a 5-bed residential facility that is open 24 hours a day, all year round and located in the inner city. This facility is a point of emergency entry to support services. Youth aged 12-16 access Safe House services for a period of 1 hour to 30 days.

Goals

The main goals of the Safe House are to:

•Provide a safe place for children and youth;

•Ensure short term, immediate basic needs (food, shelter, clothing);

•Improve community connections to community professionals to address their needs regarding addictions, justice matters, sexual exploitation, physical and mental health; and

•Connect children and youth with community resources to meet longer term needs, including housing, education, employment, and/or parental or mentoring support.

Clientele

At risk children and youth between the ages of 12 and 16 in Saskatoon. Clients are referred to the program through either self-referral, or referral by other agencies including EGADZ, police, social workers, Mobile Crisis, teachers, judges, JIR workers, counsellors and other social services agencies and workers. 

Core Components

The program components of the Safe House program include:

•Assessment on intake to determine needs

•Creation of care plans with the child/youth and relevant agencies and supports

•Teaching of responsibility and routine through daily chores, set curfews, and weekly activities to assist with stabilizing the child/youth

•Talking and sharing circles

•Guest speakers including nutritionists, nurses, wellness workers, justice workers, addictions workers and other relevant community agency supports

•Access to elder support

•Access to weekly sweat ceremonies

•Access to monthly pipe ceremonies

•Activities including, life skill exercises, thrifty meal planning, cooking exercises, budgeting exercises, crafts, seasonal activities and other self development activities

•Community gardening

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: Agency must be able to employ staff who must be available to clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to provide support and other services as may be accessible and appropriate.
• Partnerships: Limited information on this topic.
• Training and technical assistance: Limited information on this topic.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: Limited information on this topic.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

Safe House is implemented in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

The Ministry of Justice and Attorney General is providing $87,407 annually in funding until March 2026.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

Ministry of Justice

Community Safety and Well-Being

Community Innovation and Restorative Pathways

600-1874 Scarth St

Regina, SK  S4P 4B3

Telephone: 306-361-6911

Email: Jessica.Stanley@gov.sk.ca