Youth Safe Spaces Program

One in five youth and young adults experience mental health challenges, yet nearly 60% do not receive the support they need . In 2023, Governor Hochul launched the Youth Mental Health Listening Tour.

Young people gave feedback on the specific challenges they face:

• Challenges in developing positive relationships: Many youth face difficulties in building positive peer relationships and social skills. This reflects a notable absence of school and community-based programs designed to foster these connections.
• Perceived lack of empathy and cultural sensitivity: Youth frequently express dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of empathy and cultural awareness among adults. As a result, many prefer to seek support from peers and trusted adults who share their demographic and cultural backgrounds.
• Insufficient community-based resources: Limited investment in community resources has deprived many young people of opportunities for recreation and mental wellness promotion.

In particular, young people highlighted the need for safe spaces where they can interact with peers, participate in community activities, and design the vision for the programming. The lack of designated safe spaces in schools and communities exacerbates these challenges, leading to heightened mental health crises, disengagement from services, and unmet basic needs, especially among high-risk populations (e.g., BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color), migrants, LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer), differently abled, Native American, etc.).

In response to youth demands for more youth-driven programs, New York State (NYS) Office of Mental Health (OMH) has announced funding for up to four pilot Youth Safe Space Programs targeting individuals ages 12–24. This program will create standalone Safe Spaces and designate other community spaces—such as libraries, OASAS Youth Recovery Clubhouses, Boys and Girls Clubs, Park & Recreation Centers, etc.—as Safe Spaces through an application and funding process. Applicants are not required to be licensed OMH providers to participate.

These Safe Spaces will:

• Reduce social isolation by providing peer-led, supportive, culturally responsive, non-judgmental environments for youth and young adults through the promotion of positive peer relationships and non-clinical activities.
• Enhance youth understanding of wellness and empower them to advocate and access community resources by facilitating linkages to mental wellness resources, both non-clinical (non-traditional) and clinical (traditional).
• Increase community capacity through youth mental wellness training by facilitating peer-led trainings & providing support to adult allies and community members when seeking support for young people.
• Provide opportunities for young people to empower themselves in order to advocate for better youth services and supports in their communities by teaching/coaching in advocacy and other skills to promote better services and supports for themselves, their peers, and their communities.

The Youth Safe Spaces Program framework embodies a multifaceted approach to youth mental health, prioritizing voluntary, youth-led, and non-clinical programming. Its foundational principles include positive youth development, recovery-oriented principles, civic engagement and advocacy, mental health awareness and education, and social equity and justice. While Safe Spaces do not replace clinical settings, they address critical cultural, financial, and logistical barriers that prevent many young people from seeking traditional mental health services. By offering voluntary, non-clinical support, these community-driven programs complement clinical care and fill a vital gap in the mental health care continuum.  Awardees will participate in training and technical assistance provided by OMH and adhere to forthcoming program guidance to ensure alignment with the initiative's objectives. This framework represents a significant step toward meeting the mental health needs of New York State’s young people by creating accessible and culturally sensitive spaces that promote wellness, recovery, and community connection.

Programs deemed safe and trusted by community members are encouraged to apply to implement the Youth Safe Spaces framework. These include, but are not limited to: community grassroots organizations, faith-based organizations, libraries, art galleries, museums, recreation centers (e.g., skate parks, sports clubs/facilities, etc.), community art centers, youth mentorship programs (e.g., Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Club, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, FosterClub, etc.), or other non-profit community programs.

Notice: Notification of intent to apply should be made to the Local Governmental Unit (county director of community services) for each county to be served under the program application, as defined in Section 41 of the New York State Mental Hygiene Law.