BUFFALO, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the RIPSTOP pilot program, aimed at supporting at-risk youth who repeatedly go missing by connecting them with essential services. The acronym—RIPSTOP—stands for the "Runaway Intervention Program: Services, Training, Opportunity, Prevention", and is a new partnership between the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf, and the Buffalo Police Department, with backing from several other state agencies. Governor Hochul, announced the program, saying “Public safety is my top priority and I’m committed to using every tool at my disposal to protect all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable population,”
Incidents involving missing children, including children who ran away from home, aren't new to Buffalo, which last year resulted in an investigation that found more than 40 missing children in similar circumstances, according to reporting from WIVB-TV.
BestSelf was also involved in that investigation, according to an October 2024 press release, which read:
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) today announced that 47 children who were reported missing in Erie County have been located through a first-of-its-kind Missing Child Rescue Operation in the state. The cases, which involved children who had been reported missing to the Amherst and Buffalo police departments, were solved through a unique collaboration among the Missing Persons Clearinghouse at DCJS, the National Child Protection Task Force, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and law enforcement professionals and private sector partners who convened in late September to review cases at the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestHelp in Buffalo. [*]
Elizabeth Woike, the president of BestSelf, said the company was proud to have it's facility chosen, adding "We are looking at the youth runaway crisis through a preventative lens to address larger health issues down the road. Our commitment remains strong to provide cutting-edge treatment and lead the way in collaboration and advocacy.”.
Buffalo Mayor Scanlon praised the initiative, calling it “a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we work together to ensure at-risk youth receive the care and support they need.”
Officials said the program seeks to address the root causes of runaway episodes, with further updates expected in the coming months.
[*] Note for clarity: The quote erroneously refers to the organization as BestHelp; not BestSelf, it's actual name.