Safety is not just the absence of violence. It is the presence of support, stability, and caring adults who step in before harm happens. When young people feel safe in their neighborhoods, schools, and relationships, they can focus on learning, healing, and building a future.
Milestone 6 is MBK Houston’s commitment to reducing youth violence and strengthening second chances through a public health and equity lens. We believe justice impacted youth are not problems to be solved. They are young people with potential who deserve systems that respond to their realities and reduce harm. Long-term safety is built through healing, stability, and opportunity.
This is community work. It takes trusted messengers, families, schools, community organizations, public health leaders, and justice partners working together so young people are supported before crisis, protected during high-risk moments, and guided into real pathways for restoration and growth.
What we are building together
To create lasting change in Milestone 6: All Youth Remain Safe From Violent Crime, we focus on:
- Reducing violence in high-risk communities by using public health strategies that prevent harm and strengthen protective factors
- Expanding trauma-informed prevention and restorative practices that keep youth connected to learning, care, and accountability
- Strengthening trust and collaboration between neighborhoods and public safety partners through consistent communication and shared solutions
- Reforming juvenile and criminal justice practices to reduce unnecessary confinement and keep youth and young adults on track
- Supporting reentry with coordinated services that address housing, healthcare, education, job training, and behavioral health needs
- Removing unnecessary barriers to reentry and expanding fair-chance hiring opportunities
- Addressing disproportionate contact with law enforcement and ensuring equitable treatment across systems
- Improving data and coordination so resources are targeted, outcomes are tracked, and strategies are strengthened over time
Milestone 6 is led by Tanisha Manning of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and Andetria Lockett of the Houston Health Department. Together with partners across Houston, this milestone advances prevention, healing, and second chances so young people can remain safe, supported, and on track toward a brighter future.
Creating safer communities through prevention, healing, and second chances.
Our Partners
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Frequently Asked
Questions
Milestone 6 focuses on keeping youth and young adults safe from violent crime by preventing harm before it happens, strengthening community supports, and improving systems so young people have safer pathways and real second chances.
A public health approach treats violence as preventable. It focuses on reducing risk factors, increasing protective factors, addressing trauma, and using data and community partnerships to stop violence at its roots instead of only responding after a crisis.
We work with community partners to expand prevention programs, mentoring, conflict de-escalation supports, and youth-led initiatives. We also promote trauma-informed practices and strengthen coordination so youth and families can access help quickly and consistently.
We support coordinated reentry services that connect young people to education, job training, behavioral health support, and basic needs resources. We also advocate for fair chance opportunities and reduced barriers that can prevent successful reentry.
Join the Milestone 6 Action Team! You can volunteer as a mentor, support youth programs, host safe community events, partner to provide services, hire or train young people through fair chance pathways, or join local coalitions focused on prevention and healing. If your organization supports youth, MBK Houston welcomes collaboration to expand impact.