Our SAFE Choices Mission:
Foster resiliency in youth development through collaborative and diversified approaches that reduce risk of substance addiction and mental health challenges while empowering SAFE Choices in all stages of youth development.
Our Vision:
ALL youth reach their fullest potential.
Our Goals:
Ensure young people have the information and tools necessary for making meaningful SAFE Choices. Our goals respect individual basic motivation and personal autonomy, as well as self-determination, and the fact that every person is one choice away from a different life.
- Goal #1: Design and implement innovative programs that build resilience and essential life skills through empowering and engaging education for disparate populations of underserved youth.
- Goal #2: Advance evidence-informed prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery strategies that enhance youth social and emotional learning and wellness in all stages of youth development.
- Goal #3: Foster life-fueling connection opportunities for youth that focus on stigma reduction and the promotion of healthy choices across the lifespan.
- Goal #4: Advocate for effective mental, emotional, and behavior interventions for the youth sector through targeted outreach and the formation of collaborative relationships.
SAFE Choices Programs Available
No Shame Education Program
“Connections” Program
Additional SAFE Choices Resources
Youth & Youth-Led Groups
Parents, Guardians, & Caretakers of Youth
Educators & Youth-Serving Organizations
Choose Knowledge: “Power to Empower”
SAFE Choices Featured Topic
November 2024: Quitting Smoking/Vaping is a Journey
The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout has been observed on the third Thursday of November for nearly five decades. The idea for this meaningful day grew from a 1970 event in Randolph, MA where people were asked to give up cigarette smoking for a day and donate the money they would have spent on cigarettes to a high school scholarship fund. Over the years the idea caught on, and in November 1976, the California division of the American Cancer Society inspired nearly one million smokers to quit for the day. This milestone marked the first official Great American Smokeout, which was taken nationwide in 1977.
To this day, strides continue to be made that empower people to take the very first step in living nicotine free by delaying use for a day (then another and another). Resources and support include information about adverse health impacts, cessation options, support groups. as well as information for individuals who wish to support their loved one’s cessation plans.
The 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and the Monitoring the Future Survey both report decreases in the rates of youth tobacco use in recent years. The declines are encouraging, yet we cannot ignore the fact that 10% of youth still report use of any tobacco product. E-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students since 2014. Nicotine use among youth can lead to lifelong product use, addiction, and subsequent disability, disease, and death. A continued comprehensive approach to nicotine use prevention is needed to further reduce nicotine use among youth.
During the month of November, check back weekly for more information on this topic on our “Choose Knowledge” page.
Additional Resources & Assistance
For more information about SAFE Choices, contact
Senior Director Ronna Yablonski at: choices@safeproject.us
Quickly find a treatment facility that matches your needs or the needs of a loved one in an easy, anonymous, and non-invasive way!
Our Technical Assistance consists of specialized services, information sharing, skill development, training, program assessment and implementation, as well as capacity building.