SRES71sMAR11

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending March 11, 2005

Senate Resolution 71 designating the week beginning March 13, 2005 as “National Safe Place Week”.

BRIEF

As the Resolution puts it, the nation’s youth needs a safe haven from negative influences such as child abuse and crime and the Nation needs volunteers to act as positive influences on children.

The Safe Place program aims to meet those needs by making available trained volunteers in safe places in neighborhoods to counsel and advise youth seeking assistance and guidance. 700 communities in 41 states and more than 14,000 locations have established Safe Place programs and more than 75,000 young people have gone to Safe Place locations to get help when faced with crisis situations.

Sponsor: Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (March 10, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Whereas today's youth are vital to the preservation of our country and will be the future bearers of the bright torch of democracy;

Whereas youth need a safe haven from various negative influences such as child abuse, substance abuse and crime, and they need to have resources readily available to assist them when faced with circumstances that compromise their safety;

Whereas the United States needs increased numbers of community volunteers acting as positive influences on the Nation's youth;

Whereas the Safe Place program is committed to protecting our Nation's most valuable asset, our youth, by offering short term `safe places' at neighborhood locations where trained volunteers are available to counsel and advise youth seeking assistance and guidance;

Whereas the Safe Place program combines the efforts of the private sector and non-profit organizations uniting to reach youth in the early stages of crisis;

Whereas the Safe Place program provides a direct way to assist programs in meeting performance standards relative to outreach and community relations, as set forth in the Federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act guidelines;

Whereas the Safe Place placard displayed at businesses within communities stands as a beacon of safety and refuge to at-risk youth;

Whereas more than 700 communities in 41 states and more than 14,000 locations have established Safe Place programs;

Whereas more than 75,000 young people have gone to Safe Place locations to get help when faced with crisis situations;

Whereas through the efforts of Safe Place coordinators across the country each year more than one-half million students learn that Safe Place is a resource if abusive or neglectful situations exist; and

Whereas increased awareness of the program's existence will encourage communities to establish Safe Places for the Nation's youth throughout the country: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) proclaims the week of March 13 through March 19, 2005 as `National Safe Place Week' and

(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States and interested groups to promote awareness of and volunteer involvement in the Safe Place programs, and to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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