Stanislaus County aiming for one-stop center to aid families in crisis
By TIM MORAN
tmoran@modbee.com
June 02, 2008 12:31:52 PM
When Elizabeth Iverson became a victim of physical and mental abuse six years ago, she discovered the difficulty of accessing services available to help her in Stanislaus County.
A wide variety is available for families in crisis, from legal to medical help, counseling and shelter. But they are not all in one place, and for Iverson, that meant walking with three young children around downtown Modesto in the summer heat.
Iverson said. "I wish I could have gone somewhere where someone could hold my hand and tell me I was safe."
That place may become a reality by the end of this year. Spearheaded by the Stanislaus County district attorney's office and Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley, a group of people from private and public agencies is trying to form a "one-stop shop" for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and child abuse.
Modeled on a center in San Diego County, the Family Justice Center would be a place where each of the about 25 agencies that offer services to those victims would be available in one place. The group is looking at two buildings, one at 100 Poplar Ave., and the other is the county-owned Medical Arts Building at 700 17th St., both in Modesto.
"A large amount of people don't contact Haven," he said. They may be afraid of the offender or fear the stigma of approaching a social service agency or they might be a drug user and afraid to get in trouble with the law.
Abridged
SOURCE: ModBee
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