New Office of Youth Safety director lays out youth‑centered plan; councilmember seeks long‑term governance

Phyllis Hildreth, who said she has been in the role for just under 90 days, told the Public Health & Safety Committee that the Office of Youth Safety was funded in June 2024, affirmed by Mayor’s Executive Order 53 on Nov. 27, 2024, and activated by her appointment in May. Hildreth said the office’s work grew out of repeated youth testimony coordinated by groups including the Southern Movement Committee and identified three action arenas where the county can improve youth safety: 'my safe places' (home, school and third spaces), 'rest and peace' and 'safe problem‑solving.' She described plans to establish a Metro Youth Voice (an online platform or in‑person dialogues in schools, parks and libraries), create an interdepartmental council linking parks, libraries, arts and other agencies, and to inventory existing programs to identify gaps and the retail cost of options such as extended park or library hours.

Councilmember Dreffel, who introduced resolution RS2025‑1100 (deferred to the committee’s second August meeting), framed the measure as a governance and sustainability request to the mayor rather than a prescriptive program. Dreffel said past initiatives have risen and fallen with administrations and argued the resolution asks the mayor to develop a multi‑year trajectory — 'a 10‑ to 15‑year goal' — to preserve continuity in youth programming across administrations. He described the resolution’s intent as ensuring lessons learned and partnerships are sustained beyond a single mayoral term.

Hildreth repeatedly emphasized that the office will ground its work 'in data, ethical, effective, and cost‑effective' approaches and asked the council for regular check‑ins to report findings and identify service gaps. She gave the example of asking metro services for estimates to extend park and program hours and said local partners expressed interest when presented with potential costs. 'We hear them,' Hildreth said of youth who testified that they want to be safe in Metro Davidson County.

Next steps: RS2025‑1100 will return to committee at the second August meeting for formal consideration and possible action; Hildreth and Dreffel said they expect further conversations about program costing and an interdepartmental approach ahead of that session.