A Safe Place
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Mission Statement
Our mission at A Safe Place is to decrease domestic violence by providing victims, survivors, and their children, with safe shelter and support services to break the cycle of violence through outreach and education to at-risk populations and diverse communities.
About This Cause
A Safe Place was founded by a community of women to address the urgent need for a shelter in the East Bay. Even now, of 175 registered domestic violence agencies in California only five are specific to Alameda County and ASP is the only DV shelter in Oakland, serving a population of nearly one-half million. In 2020, A Safe Place responded to 2,849 crisis line calls, provided 2,265 bed nights, counseled 452 individuals in therapy, sheltered 125 adult and 54 child residents, served 125 women, 54 children and 4 men with motel vouchers for emergency housing, and provided legal services to 41 families: 30% of those we serve are children. The 2021-2022 fiscal year operating budget is $1.5M plus a $2M capital campaign to secure a larger Community Mental Health Center. Over 40 years, ASP leadership has been honored to be asked to help define state requirements for domestic violence shelters and programs, based on our own best practices and experience serving families. Created by and for the community, A Safe Place set up a crisis line, initially run solely by volunteers, to counsel battered women and their children, and provide referrals to shelters, programs and resources to stay safe. In 1980 a donor made an anonymous gift that enabled A Safe Place to purchase a shelter that offers refuge and healing for twenty women and children at a time; our leadership is currently working with realtors to purchase a larger facility that will be our new community mental health center. We own both of our sites outright and, with your support, will expand services in our new center as we have for 43 years: without debt. Our statistics continue to reflect a high percentage of African American survivors. When 70% of Oakland’s homeless, but only 24% of Oakland’s population, is Black (2019 Point In Time homeless count), our majority Black staff and board provide a full-service emergency shelter and domestic violence supporting services with a low-barrier to access. A Safe Place serves a diverse client population that represents Oakland’s larger community, where 68% of residents are minorities. Honoring, promoting and celebrating our community’s diversity is a central organizing principle for our work. In keeping with our mission to decrease and break the cycle of domestic violence, A Safe Place offers comprehensive services to create healing for those we serve through our shelter and hotline. Integrated services to families include: crisis counseling via our hotline; emergency shelter, transport, food and clothing; trauma-informed counseling for children and adults in individual, family, and group settings; a shelter-based children’s program that include hands-on healing through arts, crafts and play; legal and social services advocacy; partnerships with and 24/7 availability to law enforcement, medical professionals, and social workers to ensure best practices in responding to survivors’ needs; case management; computer access and training; employment referrals; service referrals and navigation support for financial assistance programs. We have added a motel program offering ASP’s full services as an interim shelter program, to meet victims’ needs that exceed our shelter capacity. When ASP is unable to assist a victim directly, our trained staff help locate appropriate placement in one of the nine Bay Area county domestic violence shelters (we have MOUs with all) and/or social service providers where we have client referral agreements to assist the victim in finding safe housing and other supportive services. In an effort to meet each family’s needs, intensive case management is provided. This includes advocating for clients with the county’s social services agency to obtain financial, social and mental health services. Additionally, many families require assistance and companionship navigating court hearings for restraining or custody orders. Attending court can be intimidating and anxiety-provoking; our staff help clients to understand the process, accompany and remain by their side during the hearing, and assist them in understanding the outcomes of their hearing. This support is essential, since successful outcomes of court proceedings are vital to keeping children safe from abusers, and ensuring children are not sent back to an unsafe home or remanded to the care of an abuser parent Additionally, ASP partners with the three local victim/witness protection programs to ensure full support for clients. Another innovative program serves women navigating re-entry, including many mothers who are at even greater risk of homelessness and abuse. The Alameda Public Defender’s office refers women to us as they are released, and ASP provides services and motel vouchers to help formerly incarcerated women transition to stable homes for themselves and their children. We are the only domestic violence organization providing emergency shelter to women released from the 3,500-inmate capacity Santa Rita Jail, one of the largest prisons in California and the United States. Survivors of color disproportionately face the risk of criminalization when contacting law enforcement for help. According to The Institute for Women’s Policy Research, (“The Status of Black Women in the United States,” 2017), mandatory arrest laws and pro-arrest policies have criminalized Black women who come into contact with the justice system as a result of their exposure to violence. As a survivor-centered agency, ASP serves people who may have histories of institutional abuse or neglect. We also understand the power of partnership in advocating for the needs of families facing domestic violence. Over 40 years, we have established a broad network of collaborative relationships on a local and national level with both individual community members and leaders who refer clients to ASP. In Alameda County, we partner with CORE (Center of Reentry Excellence, a program of the Probation Department), the Victim/Witness Programs of the District Attorney, Public Defender’s Office and Domestic Violence Court, and have MOUs with Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley Police Departments. We help survivors navigate often complex institutional systems with these partners, and provide case management and referrals to CalWORKs and Oakland Housing Authority. At Highland, Alta Bates, and Kaiser Oakland hospitals, we provide in-service trainings and 24/7 hotline assistance to medical social workers and ER staff on how to address and assess the needs of domestic violence victims. When requested, we offer advocacy by intervening on the survivor’s behalf with emergency rooms and medical offices. Our domestic violence prevention partners include Family Justice Center, all nine Bay Area county DV shelters (and MOUs are renewed biannually), and Oakland Unite under the Department of Violence Prevention. Through Oakland Unified School District, ASP offers education and workshops to teens on healthy relationships and how to leave abusers safely. Many churches are faith leader partners in our community-wide effort to address both the causes and effects of domestic violence, particularly among the African American population. Other community partners include Urban Strategies (research and advocacy organization dedicated to social, economic and racial equity), AIDS Project of the East Bay to reach LGBTQIAA+ clients, and Change to Come and Diamond in the Rough transitional housing programs. These partnerships reflect our dedication to collaborate in achieving integrated, systems-based community solutions to preventing and ending domestic violence. For over 40 years, ASP has been a trusted partner and source of healing, information and resources for children and families facing violence.