17 Y/O run away rights in Arizona

Hey, I know im 17 and im thinking of running away for two weeks or three because I'm scared about telling my parents that I'm gay. I don't know how I would get my medicine and I don't have a clue of who to talk to. My parents are extremely strict and heavily christian and I feel like if I tell them im gay then they will take away everything I have and even stop letting me go to college.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. So sorry to hear that you are going through such a rough time right now. You have certainly gone through a lot at such a young age but hopefully you are in a safe place now and can look ahead.



At NRS we are not affiliated with any legal organization so it is hard to determine exactly what may happen if law enforcement picks you up. It is possible that you would be returned to your parents as they are legally responsible for you until you are 18 years of age. Here at NRS we have a database of resources that may be of assistance to you in finding a more permanent and safe place to live. If would be great if you could reach out to us either

at www.1-800runaway.org for an online chat or at 1-800runaway (1-800-786-2929) to speak to someone on the phone. That would allow us to get a bit more information about your situation and allow us to look into our resources.



Again, thanks for reaching out to NRS! Hopefully you will reach out to us in the very near future!

Im 15 and ranaway i know my parents called the cops i wonder what they said but i also don’t wanna go home cuz my dad has been molested me since i was a little girl ☹️ I don’t know what to do because iam afraid if i tell the law iam not trying to go back in to foster care i was there when i was 11 and don’t wanna be there again.

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thanks ever so much for reaching out to us. We are so sorry that the situation at home with your mom, it is never ok for anyone to be abusive towards you, you deserve to live in a space where you feel safe. It sounds like you are considering living with a friend, but you have questions about what might happen if you stay with them. We are not legal experts, but we can share information that may help you decide your next steps.

You are correct in that you do have the option of reporting the abuse to your local child protective services, and that decision would be yours to make. From what we understand, if you are considered a minor in your state, you cannot live somewhere else without your mom's consent if she is your legal guardian. Regardless of whether your friend's family takes care of you and allows you to live there, if your mom files a runaway report and local police find you, they would likely return you to your mom's house or have her pick you up. Because we are not legal experts, we cannot say with certainty whether or not your friend's family would be charged with a crime, as these laws are state-specific. If you have questions about the possible consequences to you or your friend's family if you chose to run away to their home and your mom filed a runaway report, the best resource for you would be the non-emergency number of your local police department or your local legal aid agency. If you need help finding this information, or if you just need someone to talk to, please feel free to reach out to us.

Whatever you decide, know that we are here to support you. We cannot tell you what to do, but we will do our best to help you stay as safe as possible as you figure out your next steps. If you would like to talk more in detail please call us 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929) or chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best. We are here to listen, here to help. Stay safe!

-NRS

I am 16 years old and want to run away from home. My mom is very abusive verbally and emotionally sometimes physically but my dad lives in California and I have can’t see him that often. I might be able to run away and live with a friend in there house with there parents but I don’t want to get them in legal trouble by living with them and escaping. I know there is no penalty for me legally running away but I don’t want to get other people in trouble that help me get away from my mom. My mom really tries to keep me in the house and would probably call the police as I can’t leave the house for more then about 5 hours I don’t know how she would react with running away. I also don’t want to tell the police or CPS about the abuse because then I would get into foster care or be forced to go back home with therapy and I just want to be away from my mom and live at my friends house. If there parents take me in consensually and keep me in school, and take care of me in every way a parent is supposed to can they take me out of that home and send me home and can they get in trouble for harboring me and taking care of me if I am fully taken care of?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We really unfortunately cannot answer your question as there is no way for us to know. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

Hi. I'm 17 with 3 weeks until 18. I was supposedly reported as a runaway but I went to the emergency room a bit ago and Child protective services talked to me. I was illegally living with my dad but it's been a month since dcs found out that I was living with him and the police has contacted him to tell him that when I am ready to press charges to call the police department. I was hired at subway and am wondering if their I9 check will pop up that I'm a runaway but I can't find my name in any databases

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS. We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way and you have a right to be safe.

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation and what your options might be to live with your mom.

Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. You are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. If you would like to talk more in detail please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. 1-800-RUNAWAY

Be safe,
NRS

I am 15 years old and I want to go live with my mom. My dad and step mom are violently, mentally and emotionally abusive. My dad has full custody of me because my mom defaulted custody when she got arrested for a failure to appear warrant. I cant take living there and I keep running away but the police keep bringing me back even though I tell them I dont feel safe there. My dad is a convicted felon and he has multiple guns in the house so I have a hard time sleeping because I'm afraid hes going to kill me or attack me again if I do. I just want to go live with my mom but no one will listen to me and she doesnt have the money to be able to take my dad to court. Is there any real help out there because I also dont want to become ward of state or placed in foster care. I just want to live with my mom.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.



We're sorry you're going through this. You mentioned experiencing emotional and verbal abuse which may be reportable against your parents. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise.  Unfortunately, emotional and verbal abuse are often harder to provide evidence for compared to physical abuse which is often what CPS relies on when conducting an abuse investigation. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead.  The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Another resource that may be helpful is Child Help. You can reach Child Help by calling 1-800-422-4453 or by visiting www.childhelp.org. They are able to help you gain a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made, if you decide to do so.



We want you to be safe even if that means from your own actions of self-harm. https://twloha.com/ is a great resource for finding hope in difficult situations and avoiding self-harm. Your safety is important. If you are in need of extra support, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers a helpline that can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., ET.by calling 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). You can also text "NAMI" TO 741-741 to be connected with a trained crisis counselor available 24/7 and receive support.



While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home by local law enforcement. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.



We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.



Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).



If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.



Be safe,



NRS

Hi, I'm a 17 year old female. Can I runaway from my parent's house if they emotionally and verbally abuse me. Even due to them always thinking they are right and I ended up in the hospital. As they had disregarded my symptoms and them already "knowing "what I had. Due to their abuse, I had started to self harm. Can I leave and not have police officers looking for me?

[ccsmod0]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on while living with your dad. You do not deserve to be mentally abused. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your dad may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering. Your mom could look into trying to obtain custody of you again so that you would legally be able to live with her rather than your dad.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

Hi i want to leave my dad’s house and go live with my mom. I am 17 and my dad has full custody. When they fought i was 16 and they didn’t ask me who i wanted to live with. I’m tired of my dad’s mental abuse and would like to just leave and go live with my mom. Can he force me to go back? Even if i’m almost 18?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are sorry to hear that you are going through such a difficult time right now, and seems no one has been able to help.

One option to consider would be to call your local court house or police department and ask if they have a MINS/CHINs program. This means a minor in need of supervision, and the program is usually ran through the juvenile court system. The program helps at risk youth and youth who are constantly running away or not following any rules.

Another resource that may be helpful to you is called National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which they may provide additional help and resources for you. They can be reached at 1800-843-5678. We would be able to offer you additional resources if you call us because we would be able to give you direct resources in your city.

We wish you the best of luck in your situation, we are available to you 24/7. Please feel free to give us a call or chat with us at any time. Best of luck!
NRS

My daughter is 15 and goes and comes as she please, since I no longer share custody. I'm sure this was going on behind my back on my no n visitation days.
I consulted with behavioral healthcare but she refused to go. She's missing online school and she is on drugs and alcohol, with a abuse issue. No one in Arizona will help. Called the police, but they did nothing. And the state has no forms to have children turned over to the hospital.

They just wait until CPS, gets involved thus causing the parent to have a CPS case. There is no solution. I feel hopeless. I want know real number of organizations that can help. Also , a parent harboring my 15 year old daughter took her to get a tattoo, buys her and other teenagers drugs and alcohol, and let's them get involved with sexual acts at her house ( 6580 west Puget, Glendale, AZ).

The police won't do anything because the lady is privilege. When I showed up at her door the last time , she stood at the door and said " what do you want", " why are you here?:, as if she wasn't harboring my child for days. Now if I were to shot her I would be wrong.

There is NO help for teenagers in Arizona. Only if you " get in trouble ", for not being a good parent or your to blame in a negative way.

I have been seeking help for 2 years now and it appears that the teenagers in Arizona have the same rights as adults, and adults who harbor child in Arizona have no consequences.

The only way to get help for a runaway in the state of Arizona , is to be deemed as an " unfit parent ", and here comes help to the rescue !!


What a joke. And fyi, no I'm not planning on hurting myself or anyone else, I'm just giving an example.

Please send real organizations that don't involve days of intakes, (that children won't be around for, BECAUSE THEY'RE RUNAWAYS), that will physical get involved ( pick minors up and group home or rehab them), and actually care.

Maybe the Government in Arizona need to come up with some reform for the youth. I will never give up on my child, but she will cause me problems with the school, and other things. and there is no LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO PROTECT MYSELF, in the state of Arizona.