National Runaway Safeline highlights available resources in NC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- November is National Runaway Prevention Month, or Youth HOPE Month.

The National Runaway Safeline (NRS) hopes to shine a light on youth homelessness and help prevent it. Last year in North Carolina, people contacted NRS 745 times seeking assistance for themselves or for a young person they know who is struggling and feels like they have nowhere to turn.

"Sometimes when they reach out to the hotline, they haven't told anybody in their life that they're struggling with mental health or haven't told anyone in their life that they're being bullied at school," NRS CEO Amanda Whitlock told ABC11. "They are so isolated despite being so connected more than ever - but that connection is through devices. It's not relationships. We often have kids calling the hotline who really just want someone who can listen, let them know that they're valued that they're seen and that they're cared about."

The NRS hopes to provide that and more for young people.

WATCH | Wake County students facing homelessness up 88% since 2014, state data shows

The affordable housing crisis is putting pressure on the Wake County School System as well as area non-profits.

Of the hundreds of calls or contacts they received from people based in North Carolina, some needed help with one thing in particular: getting home safely.

"There were 27 kids last year who called and said, 'Hey, I've been on the streets, I'm ready to come home. I have someone who will receive me when I show up. Can you help me get there?'" Whitlock said.

The NRS did just that, helping them reach out to family and buying them a ticket home.

Whitlock said about 25% of the calls they take identify that a young person or a member of their family needs mental health support.

"We were able to connect with our resources in our database in North Carolina to really make sure that we're working to help kids, even leave their home and are able to address those family dynamic issues in real-time," she said, adding that needing help with their family dynamic is the biggest reason people reach out to the NRS.

About 43 percent of people who reached out in North Carolina were still at home when they called, highlighting the opportunity and need for runaway prevention.

There are five ways to contact the NRS. You can call or text 1-800-RUNAWAY, you can email them, you can chat with them online, or you can participate in an online forum. To reach out the NRS, click here.

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