Department of
Health & Human Services

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach is seeking to partner with three qualified organizations to support the expansion of its existing Safe Passage Program and increase the safety of youth walking to and from school in North, West and Central Long Beach.

The City’s Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has researched the potential for Safe Passage programming at local area school sites as part of its violence prevention initiative, Long Beach Advancing Peace, and has determined that schools located in North, West and Central Long Beach would best benefit from this additional safety resource. The selected partners will enable the expansion of the Safe Passage Program, currently operating at Washington Middle School in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, to promote safety, increase community social connectedness and encourage student attendance. As part of their role, the selected partners will determine the schools to participate in the program. An expanded Safe Passage program will promote community connection and belonging and will complement school safety efforts by the Long Beach Unified School District. 

The Long Beach Safe Passage Public Health Model has four key components:

• Securing community partners to coordinate program site partnership.
• Identifying, training and recognizing program volunteers and community interventionists (peacekeepers).
• Linking students with after-school activities to ensure their well-being, wherever possible.
• Identifying, collecting and analyzing program data to determine program effectiveness. 

The Long Beach Safe Passage Public Health Model outcomes are to:

• Increase safe passage to and from school for students.
• Reduce the involvement of at-risk youth in gangs.
• Increase perceptions of safety for youth and community members.
• Develop a violence and pedestrian injury prevention model through an intradepartmental City and community collaboration.

To support this effort, the City has launched The Safe Passage Program Request for Proposals (RFP). Eligible organizations need to be a non-governmental organization or certified non-profit organization in business for a minimum of three years. The organization must have at least three years of experience within the last 10 years implementing street outreach and safe passage programs in the selected communities and parks as stated in the RFP. The City encourages organizations to submit proposals through the City’s vendor portal, Long Beach Buys, by 11 a.m. on June 21, 2023.

Specific details related to eligibility requirements and submission instructions are available on the Long Beach Buys website. The City also has developed an instructional video about the registration process. 

This program is made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, a plan to fund economic and public health initiatives for Long Beach residents, workers and businesses critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information about the Long Beach Recovery Act is available at longbeach.gov/recovery.

Media inquiries can be directed to Jennifer Rice Epstein, Public Affairs Officer, Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, 562.441.3590 or Jennifer.RiceEpstein@longbeach.gov.