The Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch in Safety Harbor was the third residential child care program established by the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, Inc. In early 1975, the Youth Ranches was still searching for the means to launch a coeducational program – a facility which would allow brothers and sisters to stay together as they worked out their problems – later that same year, the lengthy search ended.

In the winter months of 1975, Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Salls donated several cattle to the Youth Ranches and later promised to give their large home and land. With a few minor renovations to the Salls’ residence, the first cottage was ready to accept siblings in August of 1978.

In 2012, at the request of local DCF-contracted agencies, the Youth Ranch in Safety Harbor expanded the ages of youth served to include children as young as 3 years of age and began focusing on sibling groups who had entered into the foster care system.  As a result, the campus today is filled with young boys and girls who would otherwise have been separated from their siblings at the time of entry into the foster care system and numerous other families that had previously been separated are now again living together in one place.

The Youth Ranch campus consists of an administration building, multi-purpose activity center, swimming pool, maintenance building, chapel and three cottages. The Youth Ranch has the capacity for 30 youth in three spacious cottages.

Through the generosity and support of many friends, the Youth Ranches is able to continue to help children and families throughout the state of Florida.