Family Safety Center

THE FAMILY SAFETY CENTER EXISTS TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND JUSTICE IN TULSA COUNTY THROUGH CO-LOCATED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF PARTNER AND FAMILY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, AND ELDER ABUSE.

THE FAMILY SAFETY CENTER (FSC) IS A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP OF 13 AGENCIES THAT PLACE THEIR PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN ONE LOCATION TO SERVE THE VICTIMS OF INTIMATE PARTNER AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING AND THEIR FAMILIES. ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN 2005 AS ONE OF 15 AWARDEES OF THE PRESIDENT'S FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER INITIATIVE, AND ADMINISTERED BY ONE OF THE PARTNERS, THE FSC BECAME AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY IN MARCH OF 2012. ONSITE PARTNER STAFF PROVIDES CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES, POLICE INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES, BI-LINGUAL ADVOCACY AND SELF SUFFICIENCY RESOURCES AND REFERRALS, AN EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDER (EPO) COURT VIA WRITTEN AFFIDAVIT AND PETITION, CHILD TRAUMA ASSESSMENT AND TRIAGE COUNSELING, FORENSIC DOCUMENTATION OF INJURIES AND SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS, CHAPLAINCY FOR SPIRITUAL SUPPORT AND CHILDCARE FOR ONSITE CLIENTS. IN 2021, EVEN WITH COVID AND SOME PERIOD OF MANDATED CLOSURE AND LIMITED SERVICE AVAILABILITY, THE FSC PROVIDED MORE THAN 15,000 SERVICES TO 5,015 INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS. 3,067 EPOS WERE FILED WITH 2,649 GRANTED, AN 86% GRANT RATE. PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDED A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WITH THE US DEPT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, POLYVICTIMIZATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT; DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A RESEARCH BASED AND VETTED IDENTIFICATION TOOL FOR VICTIMS OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF TRAUMA WHO PRESENT FOR DV OR SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES; PROVIDING NEW AND EXPANDED TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SURVIVORS IDENTIFIED AS POLYVICTIMS. THE PROGRAM EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP TO INCLUDE OTHER SERVICE DELIVERY ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH PARTNER, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. THIS INCLUDED EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE, RENTAL AND UTILITY PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF DV AND IPV TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND AN ORGANIZATION, PROJECT HOPE, TO ASSIST IN EVICTION PREVENTION DURING COVID FOR VICTIMS AND FAMILIES. THE FSC ADDED STAFF IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE 14TH DISTRICT COURT TO COORDINATE THE MENTOR COURT PROGRAM RECENTLY AWARDED TO THE COURT. THIS PROGRAM MENTORS OTHER JURISDICTIONS IDENTITIFED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES IN HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH DEDICATED DOCKETS FOR MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES.

DURING 2021, FSC STAFF AND PARTNERS PROVIDED TRAINING SESSIONS AT THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PARTNERS CONFERENCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S COUNCIL COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM AND SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM MEETINGS. SOME 750 INDIVIDUALS WERE ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAMMING AT THE MEETINGS. MORE THAN 8,000 VICTIMS IN THESE AREAS RECEIVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS TRAINING, LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS AND INFORMATION ON NON-FATAL STRANGULATION. ALSO, THE FSC STAFF PRESENTED WEBINARS ON SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES AND FUNDRAISING TO 62 FAMILY JUSTICE CENTERS (FJCS) AT THE ANNUAL NATIONAL FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER ALLIANCE DIRECTORS SUMMIT, AND THROUGH A MONTHLY WEBINAR SESSION TO 15 FJCS. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF CONVENES AND CONDUCTS MONTHLY LUNCH AND LEARN SESSIONS FOR PARTNER AND OUTSIDE AGENCY STAFF ON SUBJECTS SUCH AS NON LETHAL STRANGULATION, PRO SE SERVICES FOR CLIENTS, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADVOCATES, INVESTIGATION OF CRIMES, ETC.