Number of vulnerable youth continues to rise in Washoe County

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Eddy House is a shelter for youth in Reno and the amount of people using their services is increasing.

“The needs are definitely rising,” said Joanna Ramos, Children’s Cabinet Safe Place Coordinator.

Last year, Eddy House served 374 youth and this year, they expect to support 500. Safe Place is seeing the same trend.

“We’re noticing that our calls are going up,” Ramos said.

Safe Place gathered to remind the community how to access services like temporary housing, counseling and free case management. Kids just need to find a Safe Place sign.

“Those diamond, yellow and black signs tell youth that they’re [at] a safe place.”

Youth can get to any “Safe Place” location on an RTC bus.

“Anybody can go to a bus and say they want to go to a safe place and go to a safe place and get connected to a place where they can get respite,” said Phil Pumphrey, Keolis Reno General Manager.

17 new locations have been added around Washoe County and Safe Place is always looking to add more businesses.

“We set them up with a training, get them all the education that they need to become a Safe Place site and then we get all the materials out there,” said Ramos.

Ramos says it’s important to remind kids that it’s always okay to ask for help.

“There’s just a broad net of different reasons why a youth might call Safe Place and there’s never a wrong reason to call us.”

For more information, click here: https://www.childrenscabinet.org/