Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Published on Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (http://www.riderta.com)

Home > April 20, 2010: RTA rolls out Safe Place initiative for teens in need

April 20, 2010: RTA rolls out Safe Place initiative for teens in need

CLEVELAND – Youths in Cuyahoga County now have a rolling support network, thanks to RTA’s participation in Safe Place.

This national outreach initiative offers immediate access to a network of safety and support services, such as food, shelter and family counseling. When threatened or in a crisis, youths can board an RTA bus or train and alert the operator. They will then be taken to a community safe haven for needed services.

The first transit-focused Safe Place initiative in the nation

RTA’s partner agencies are:

  • Next Step/West Haven Youth Shelter
  • Bellefaire’s Homeless Youth Program.

These agencies will assist the youth in crisis, and may then put youths and families in touch with assistance programs available in Cuyahoga County.

RTA introduced the program today during a joint event with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, and Cleveland Metropolitan Schools Superintendent Dr. Eugene Sanders, along with students from his school district. The program begins May 1.

“Our buses and trains are visible on neighborhood streets throughout the county, providing youths literally hundreds of ways to get help, We are excited to bring this program to Northeast Ohio, and encourage other organizations to participate as well.” -- Joe Calabrese, RTA CEO and General Manager

Easy access to help is a key to the success of Safe Place. In other cities, along with transit systems, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and discount retails have been designated Safe Place locations. These are places where youths between the ages of 12-17 are familiar. Safe Place stickers are used to identify the spot as an outreach for assistance.

“When a teen runs away from home trying to resolve a difficult or threatening situation, proximity to help is very important, “says Sanders. “RTA makes a perfect Safe Place location, because many teens are familiar with the bus and train routes in their neighborhoods.”

RTA has developed interior bus and rail “car cards” to promote program awareness. Each bus and rail car will also carry a Safe Place logo decal. Safe Place training continues for hundreds of RTA bus and rail operators.

Over the next several months, RTA will work with school districts across Cuyahoga County to educate students about Safe Place.

 

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Routes: 
10: East 105
11: Quincy - Buckeye
53F: Broadview - North Royalton
14: Kinsman
15: Union - Harvard
16: East 55
19: Broadway - Miles
1: St. Clair
22: Lorain Ave.
246: Westlake Park-N-Ride
251: Strongsville Park-N-Ride
25: Madison - Detroit
263: North Olmsted Park-N-Ride
26: Detroit
28-28A: Euclid
2: East 79
30: E. 140 - Lakeshore
32: Cedar
34: East 200 - Green
37: East 185 - Taylor
38: Hough
39: Lakeshore
39F: Lakeshore Flyer
3: Superior
40: Lakeview - Lee
41-41F: Warrensville
45: Ridge
48-48A: University Circle - East 131
49: Lorain - Center Ridge
51-A-B-C: MetroHealth Line
54: Brookpark
5: Chagrin
75: Lorain
76: Broadway - Turney
77F: Brecksville
78: West 117 - Puritas
79-79A: Fulton
7: Monticello - Euclid Hts.
81: Tremont - Storer
83: Warren - West 130
86: Rocky River Dr. - Bagley
8: Cedar - E. 116
90F: Broadway - Libby
94: East 260 - Richmond
9: Mayfield
B-Line Trolley
Blue Line
C-Line Trolley
E-Line Trolley
Green Line
HealthLine
NineTwelve Trolley
Red Line
Waterfront Line

About RTA

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is one of the nation’s largest public-transit systems, serving approximately 200,000 customers daily on more than 100 rail cars and 600 buses and vans.

About Safe Place

Safe Place is a national youth outreach program that educates thousands of young people every year about the dangers of running away or trying to resolve difficult, threatening situations on their own. To learn more, go to nationalsafeplace.org.

Media contact: Jerry Masek, 216-566-5211

Major Stations: 
Airport Rapid Station
Amtrak (by request only) Rapid Station
Ashby Rapid Station
Attleboro Rapid Station
Avalon Rapid Station
Belvoir Rapid Station
Brecksville Municipal Lot Park-N-Ride
Brookpark Rapid Station
Buckeye - Woodhill Rapid Station
Cedar - University Rapid Station
Clague Park-N-Ride
Courtland Rapid Station
Coventry Rapid Station
Drexmore Rapid Station
E 9th / North Coast Rapid Station
E. 105 - Quincy Rapid Station
E. 116th - St. Luke's Rapid Station
Tri-C - Campus District Rapid Station
E. 55 Rapid Station
E. 79 (Blue/Green Lines) Rapid Station
E. 79 (Red Line) Rapid Station
Eaton Rapid Station
Euclid Park-N-Ride
Farnsleigh Rapid Station
Flats East Bank Rapid Station
Green Road Rapid Station
Kenmore Rapid Station
Louis Stokes/Windermere Rapid Station
Lynnfield Rapid Station
Nature Center at South Park Rapid Station
North Olmsted Park-N-Ride
Onaway Rapid Station
Parma Transit Center
Puritas - W 150 Rapid Station
Settlers Landing Rapid Station
Shaker - Lee Rapid Station
Shaker Square Rapid Station
South Harbor Rapid Station
South Woodland Rapid Station
Southgate Transit Center
Southington (Blue Line) Rapid Station
Southington (Green Line) Rapid Station
Sprague & Fair Park-N-Ride
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Transit Center
Strongsville Park-N-Ride
Superior Rapid Station
Tower City Rapid Station
Triskett Rapid Station
Lee - Van Aken Rapid Station
W. 117 - Madison Rapid Station
W. 25 - Ohio City Rapid Station
W. 3 (Stadium) Rapid Station
W. 65 - Lorain Rapid Station
Warrensville - Shaker Rapid Station
Warrensville - Van Aken Rapid Station
West Blvd. - Cudell Rapid Station
West Green Rapid Station
West Park Rapid Station
Westgate Transit Center
Westlake Park-N-Ride

Source URL: http://www.riderta.com/news/april-20-2010-rta-rolls-out-safe-place-initiative-teens-need