The following procedures are designed to help library employees successfully implement the Safe Place process.

1. Get a general idea of what is wrong. Do not try to go into detail about the problem but be supportive. Get some background to the situation, so you know how best to respond. In an immediate emergency, call 911.

2. Communicate next steps. Tell the youth that you are going to call the Safe Place agency. Before calling the agency, get the youth’s name, age, and note their physical description. Show the youth where to sit and wait until a Safe Place representative arrives. Ensure you or another staff member can wait with the youth or at least observe them while you call the Safe Place number. Try to make them feel comfortable. Do not counsel them. If they reveal information about their situation, be sympathetic but keep the conversation general.

3. Call Pivot, Inc. Identify yourself and your library location, giving the address and phone number. Remember to give a direct line phone number so Pivot staff can call back directly (and not have to go through the library’s phone queue). Give the youth’s name, age, and physical description. The Pivot staff will call you back and tell you the name of the volunteer or staff member who will come to meet with the youth. Write this down so you will have it ready.

4. Tell the youth that someone will be there shortly. Remind the youth to wait in the area that you have suggested. Make sure the youth waits inside the building. The youth should not be in the way of normal activities, but at the same time should be in an area where you can easily monitor them.

5. Check on the youth every few minutes to make sure they are doing okay. Offer them some water or other available refreshment.

6. When the Safe Place representative arrives ask for photo identification. This ID will confirm that the individual is the person that the agency indicated. If there is any discrepancy or question, call Pivot back. Do not allow the youth to meet or go with anyone who has not been verified.

7. If the identification matches, show the Safe Place representative to the area where the youth is waiting and give them a few minutes to talk privately. Offer them an office or other private space if the youth has been waiting in a common area that is open to other people. The representative will be able to connect the youth to needed resources.

8. If possible, note when the representative and the youth leave the location.

9. Record the incident in the necessary reporting locations. In the incident report, include the names of the youth and the Pivot representative as well as in the description of the event.