Youth Arise - Action, Respect, Intervention, Strength, Empowerment, is the result of years of community engagement and planning that began in 2021. The initiative responds to a growing call from the community for approaches that move beyond punitive systems and instead invest in healing, accountability, and opportunity.

While youth crime in Santa Fe steadily declined after 2000, the impacts of the 2020 pandemic have led to a rise in youth violence. Youth Arise is a collaborative pilot led by Santa Fe County and the City of Santa Fe, with funding from Santa Fe County, the City of Santa Fe, and the New Mexico Department of Health’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Using a community-centered, restorative justice approach, Youth Arise reduces youth involvement in violence by partnering with the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and Juvenile Probation to connect youth and families with lived experience, clinical support, and local resources—strengthening pathways to healing and long-term stability.

Specifically, Youth Arise is designed to:

  1. Amplify the lived experiences of youth and families most affected by violence.
  2. Address historic and systemic contributors to violence, including barriers to services and opportunity.
  3. Align and strengthen existing community resources without duplicating efforts.

  4. Build a restorative justice framework attentive to community needs, intergenerational trauma, and healing.

The Youth Arise Pilot will continue to adapt based on ongoing evaluation and community input, with the goal of informing future scalable approaches across Santa Fe County and New Mexico.       

Referral Information
Email – youthcasemanagement@santafecountynm.gov   

Chanelle Delgado, Youth and Family Services Division Manager
(505) 992-9875
cdelgado@santafecountynm.gov

Elias Rodriguez, Youth and Family Services Coordinator
505-995-9576
erodriguez@santafecountynm.gov