SAFY’s News & Family Support Resources
Good information makes a difference. This page exists to share what we know, what we’re learning, and what’s happening across the communities SAFY serves.
Whether you’re a foster parent looking for practical guidance, a kinship caregiver navigating something new, or someone exploring how to get involved, you’ll find content here that reflects the real work and expertise of those supporting children and families.
Many of the topics covered connect directly to the services we provide. If you’re looking for family support resources or want to learn more about a specific area, you can explore our work in foster care, behavioral health, and family supportive services.
If something you read sparks a question or you’re ready to take the next step, you can learn about becoming a foster parent or connect with a local SAFY team.
Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.
SAFY Behavioral Health's Innovative Youth Drop-In Center in Lima, Ohio, Just in Time for Back-to-School
Lima, OH – The Youth Drop-In Center (YDC) at Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth of Ohio’s (SAFY® of OH) Lima Behavioral Health (LBH), conveniently located at 658 West Market Street, Suite 112 in downtown Lima, Ohio, provides a safe and supportive environment for youth aged 12 to 17. Through a partnership with Ohio’s Attorney General’s Victims of Crime Assistance program, the YDC offers a wide range of services to empower and guide youth as they navigate the challenges of adolescence, especially during the difficult back-to-school transition.
The Transition Back To School and Mental Health
Have you ever heard the statement that “good stress is still stress”? It makes me think of weddings, moving into a dream home, planning a vacation, and GOING BACK TO SCHOOL! Back-to-school season can be exciting. Picking out new backpacks, wearing new school clothes, meeting the teacher, and seeing friends again. Returning to school can also create anxiety, especially if the school experience is not predominately positive.
Help Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Abuse
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, SAFY of OH encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making our communities a better place for youth and families. By ensuring parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources to care for their children, we can help promote all children's social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities.
SAFY of OH Introduces New Era of Mental Health Support
SAFY of OH’s Lima Behavioral Health (LBH), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality services to youth and families, in partnership with the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin Counties (MHRSB), is excited to announce the launch of our innovative in-home Empowering Families: Intensive Family Services.
SAFY of IN Receives OJJDP Award for Kinship Program
Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth of Indiana (SAFY® of IN), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality services to youth and families, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) Opioid Affected Youth Initiative. The grant will fund SAFY’s Empowering Families Opioid Intervention Program (Kinship Support Program), which provides services to youth and families affected by opioids or other substance use.
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth in Foster Care
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its many contributions to our society. It is also a time to reflect on the challenges LGBTQ+ youth in foster care face.
Juneteenth: A Time to Reflect on the Past and Look to the Future
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Celebrated on June 19th, the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved African Americans were free.