Tag Archive for: One Safe Place

DA’s One Safe Place honored with SMILE Award

At their regular Tuesday meeting on March 11, the San Marcos City Council presented the San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership and Excellence (SMILE) award to One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center – an organization that provides services at no cost to survivors of abuse and trauma within the local community and North County region.

Mayor Rebecca Jones proudly presented the award to San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, San Diego County Chief Deputy District Attorney Tracy Prior, One Safe Place Executive Director Claudia Grasso, One Safe Place Assistant Executive Director Taraneh Sarebanha and other staff for providing hope, healing and justice to individuals seeking support at One Safe Place.

“As a staunch advocate for community safety, it is a pleasure to shed light on the phenomenal services One Safe Place provides for those in San Marcos and neighboring areas” shared Mayor Rebecca Jones. “From therapy to preparing a safety plan to workforce support, their collective services support our brave community to break through cycles of abuse and inspire self-resilience.” 

The work at One Safe Place transforms the lives of victims each day. One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center SMILE Award recipient for March 2025

“Our passionate staff at One Safe Place saves lives every day and gives hope to those who have lost it,” said District Attorney Summer Stephan. “We greatly value the City of San Marcos’ partnership and are honored by this award. We are continuously improving the services we offer to the community by consistently evaluating what works and what does not for those who come to One Safe Place to seek critical support.” 

Since opening its doors on July 5, 2022, One Safe Place has served more than 7,000 people – 50% of whom have returned for additional support. One Safe Place provides a variety of services under one roof to anyone who has experienced child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, hate crime, elder abuse, human trafficking, violent loss, family violence, or other abuse or victimization.

Through its 108 community partnerships, the organization offers supportive services, including:

  • Trauma treatment
  • Safe housing assistance
  • Crisis response
  • Child advocacy
  • Education
  • Legal assistance
  • Empowerment skills
  • Thriver skills/workforce readiness

“One Safe Place embodies the City’s spirit of service every time they lend a healing hand to our vulnerable community members,” said Mayor Jones. “It’s inspiring to see how One Safe Place compassionately empowers community members to rebuild their future, one day at a time.” 

The organization is currently expanding  to provide additional services that will be available soon. One Safe Place will open a second location in South County later this year to grow its services and support.

“For those experiencing any form of abuse, we want them to know that they are not alone, that they matter, and that they can get the wrap-around services they need to grow from victim to survivor to thriver,” Stephan said.  

For more information, visit onesafeplacenorth.org. If you or someone you know is in need of services, please call 760-290-3690 or email gethope@onesafeplacenorth.org.

 

About the San Marcos City Council’s Civic SMILE Award

There are often community members who rise to the top – clearly reflecting the San Marcos ‘Spirit of Service.’ That’s why San Marcos City Council members initiated the Civic SMILE Award recognition program in March 2021.

Five times each year, a community member is chosen by a specific City Council member to receive recognition and be presented with a San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership and Excellence (SMILE) Award during a City Council meeting.

For more information about the recognition program, visit San Marcos Civic SMILE Award.

Meet DA Investigator Tony La Dell

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet District Attorney Investigator Tony La Dell, who has been at the DA’s Office for five years. He is currently assigned to One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center, where he works with 120 partner agencies to support victims of crimes. His job includes safety planning for victims, firearms recovery and other investigations, maintaining the overall security of the office, and developing policies and procedures for One Safe Place. Read more about what inspired him to pursue a career at the DA’s Office, below.

Why did you choose a career in public service/what inspired you to pursue this career?

“I chose a career in public service because I wanted to have a direct, positive impact on the lives of others. I also knew, based on my skill set and having participated in sports all my life, I had the tools to potentially be the kind of police officer who would contribute positively to the community. By contributing positively to the community that improves people’s well-being, I felt like I would be doing something meaningful with my life. I also had some great mentors, starting with my late father, who served in the Korean conflict and was wounded in combat, and my childhood wrestling coaches who were both former police officers.

Prior to joining the DA’s office, I was a police officer with the San Diego Police Department and then the Department of Justice for a combined 35 years. I thought I was ready for retirement but realized I had more to offer in public service, landing the perfect position at One Safe Place to finish my law enforcement career helping victims of crimes!”

Why is Black History Month important to you?

“Black History Month means looking back at the impact Black pioneers and leaders have had on our community, organizations, and cities. It means celebrating and honoring the legacy these pioneers and leaders have laid for future generations to follow. It means supporting the advancement of the Black community amidst the racial injustices that continue to happen throughout the U.S. today. It means educating myself further and honoring the fact that we would not be where we are today without the innovative contributions these Black leaders and pioneers have made — and to remind myself daily that Black history cannot be contained to a single month but should be celebrated and remembered year-round.”

Hispanic Heritage: Meet Care Coordinator Lisbet Perez

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting the stories of DA employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service. In this video you will meet One Safe Place Care Coordinator Lisbet Perez, whose personal journey lead her to dedicate her career to helping others who have gone through the same experiences as her.

You can read more Hispanic Heritage Month stories from the DA’s Office, here.

One Safe Place Celebrates 2 year anniversary

One Safe Place Celebrates 2-Year Anniversary

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center in San Marcos, is celebrating its two-year anniversary and has released an Impact Report, which highlights the achievements and services offered at this state-of-the-art Family Justice Center. The report was released during a celebration at One Safe Place on Monday with more than 100 community partners, leaders and dignitaries in attendance. WATCH a video of the 2-year anniversary celebration below. Read more about the milestones accomplished by One Safe Place, here.

 

The First Two Years of One Safe Place.

DA’s One Safe Place Hits Milestone of Supporting More Than 6,000 People in North County

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center in San Marcos, is celebrating its two-year anniversary and has released an Impact Report, which highlights the achievements and services offered at this state-of-the-art Family Justice Center. The report was released during a celebration at One Safe Place on Monday with more than 100 community partners, leaders and dignitaries in attendance.

Watch a video of the two-year anniversary celebration, here. You can read the complete Two-Year “Impact Report” for One Safe Place, here.

“For two years, One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center became a place for hope, healing and justice for over 6,000 victims and survivors including more than 2,000 children,” said DA Stephan. “Our collaboration with an unprecedented 107 community and government partners, especially Palomar Health and its nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center, allows us to meet the safety and health needs of every person who walks through our doors from help with trauma services, restraining orders, sexual assault and domestic violence examinations to connections with housing and jobs that allow victims to live with dignity and safety.”

Since opening on July 5, 2022, One Safe Place has supported more than 6,000 people, provided legal services to over 1,600 people, and received more than 14,000 calls to its helpline. The center serves as a community hub, where more than 23,000 people have taken part in various public safety-related events, trainings and meetings. One Safe Place provides support services all under one roof to anyone who has experienced any type of crime or victimization. Currently, One Safe Place collaborates with some 107 community organizations and agencies from across the county.

The two-year history of services offered at One Safe Place include:

  • Adult forensic examinations following a sexual assault, performed by trained health care professionals who assess a victim’s health care needs, coordinate treatment for any injuries, offer support and crisis intervention, and collect and document any potential evidence. More than 280 adult forensic evidentiary exams have been conducted.
  • A nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center which has conducted more than 100 medical exams and 578 forensic interviews with children and teens since opening.
  • Crime victims have received over 10,000 services including safety planning, resource navigation, hands-on assistance with applications for services, and more.
  • Palomar Health Trauma Recovery Center therapists conducted 6,756 therapy sessions with children, teens, and adults.
  • 1,358 individuals helped through a restraining order clinic.
  • 440 crime victims were helped to obtain safe shelter and housing.
  • One Safe Place provided food, clothing, shoes, and over 30,000 packs of diapers in our first two years.

The two-year anniversary celebration included formal remarks from San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, Carlsbad Police Chief Christie Calderwood, Palomar Health Executive for Strategic Planning Sheila Brown, and Mexican Consul General Alicia Kerber-Palma.

Three survivors who have received services at One Safe Place spoke at the ceremony, including Amy, who took part in a mentorship program called Pathways and a summer camp called Camp Hope, designed for children who have experienced trauma.

“Pathways events have helped me feel normal, when everything in my life at the moment was everything but normal,” Amy said. “One Safe Place has become my safe haven. I can confidently say I feel safe when I am here. Every single person here, with a simple hello, has made me feel valued.”

As part of the two-year anniversary celebration, a conference room was dedicated and named after Dr. Wilma Wooten, retired San Diego County Chief Public Health Officer and was named the “Dr. Wooten Health and Healing Collaboration Space.” Dr.Wooten was a champion for victims recognizing the importance of collaboration between public health and public safety professionals. The onsite Forensic Health Services Suite was also named the “Cathy McLennan Forensic Health Services Suite” named after the late Cathy McLennan, a nationally recognized forensic interviewer from Palomar Health who dedicated her career to the protection of children.

One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center is located at 1050 Los Vallecitos Blvd., San Marcos, CA 92069. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on the first Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

5 Things About One Safe Place

5 THINGS to know about One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is celebrating the two year anniversary of opening One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center and in this video, District Attorney Summer Stephan shares 5 things you should know about this amazing family justice center that is an important resource for our community:

  1. One Safe Place is a safe place for anyone who has been a victim of a crime to receive comprehensive free services such as acute crisis care, advocacy, counseling, legal services, childcare, connections to shelter and housing, and social service benefits – all under one roof.
  2. We opened on July 5, 2022, and we’re celebrating our 2nd year anniversary.
  3. In just two years, One Safe Place served over 5,200 crime victims and received the help that they needed.
  4. The symbol of One Safe Place is Hope, Healing and Justice. Those are the three things that we provide, and we do it with the help of over 100 partners agencies working collaboratively with the DA’s Office to provide hope, healing, and justice for the community.
  5. We serve every type of victim with a focus and expertise on victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking, elder abuse, hate crimes, and gang-related crimes. But every victim of crime is welcome to walk in.

To learn more about One Safe Place, just visit OneSafePlaceNorth.org.

 

 

Meet One Safe Place Executive Director Claudia Grasso

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, we are highlighting stories from DA employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service. Meet Claudia Grasso, Executive Director of the DA’s One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center.

Claudia Grasso was born and raised in East Los Angeles in a one-bedroom apartment where she lived with her parents and three siblings until she went off to college.

Claudia attended UCLA for her undergraduate studies, then Harvard for graduate school and later, the University of San Diego School of Law.

She is currently assigned as the Executive Director of One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center, where she oversees the DA’s Family Justice Center in San Marcos that provides wrap around services to victims of abuse.

When she is not busy helping victims or working on all the important services offered by One Safe Place, she loves watching her son play football and baseball, spending time with family and friends, listening to 80s music, reading, watching movies and traveling to visit her daughter who recently graduated from college.

What inspired you to pursue a career at the DA’s Office/in law enforcement? 

“I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a lawyer. Where I grew up, I was exposed early on to victimization of our family and neighbors and had positive experiences with law enforcement. When I learned that there was a branch of law that works with law enforcement, helps victims and fights to bring them justice, I was drawn to prosecution work.”

What is your favorite part of the job? 

“I have served our San Diego’s District Attorney’s Office for over 21 years, first as a volunteer attorney and then as a Deputy District Attorney.  I loved my assignments in Family Protection and getting to try cases where I worked hard to bring justice for women and children. Now, I am thoroughly rewarded by seeing every day the lives we are saving at One Safe Place by providing alternatives to living with abuse that are safe and hope filled.”

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? Why is it important?

“According to the last census, 35% of San Diego County residents identify as Hispanic/Latino. As a member of this community and proud Latina, I have a passion for outreach, prevention and training geared to our Latinos. So many live in fear of deportation, are misinformed, lack culturally sensitive services in Spanish and are outright marginalized. It is important to not only bring to light the wonderful accomplishments of Latinos during this month but also pay it forward with assistance to those who need it all year round.”

DA Weekly News Update with DA Summer Stephan 09-05-24

In this week’s DA News Update, District Attorney Summer Stephan recognizes victims of fentanyl overdoses, and explains a historic binational agreement to help crime victims.

District Attorney Summer Stephan stands at a podium for a press conference with the Consulate General of Mexico Alicia Kerber-Palma, Attorney General of Baja California Maria Elena Andrade, the Director of Baja California Justice Center for Women Magdalena Bautista, and the Director of One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center Claudia Grasso.

DA Announces Historic International Partnership with Baja California Attorney General and Family Justice Center

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today the start of a historic partnership with the Attorney General of the State Baja California, the State of Baja California Justice Center for Women and the DA’s One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center. There are close to 300 Family Justice Centers world-wide and this agreement makes One Safe Place the first Family Justice Center to have an international partnership. Baja California is the 12th-largest state by area in Mexico.

The DA also announced the renewal of a partnership between the Consul General of Mexico in San Diego and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office for the Mexican Consulate to have presence at One Safe Place via community outreach, crime prevention and vital services for the victims we serve. The partnerships were solidified with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today. [WATCH video of signing ceremony here.]

“Criminals who prey on victims for human trafficking, exploitation and violence know no borders,” said DA Summer Stephan, “Thousands cross the border every day between Tijuana and San Diego to go to work, school or visit family and friends and we know that there are many who are victims of crime on either side of the border. With this partnership, we will work together to cross-refer victims and provide vital services on both sides of the border to further regionalize help and ensure they can get to a safe and healing place no matter where they live or work.”

Since opening in July 2022, One Safe Place has served over 5,500 individuals, provided legal services to approximately 1,500 people, and received more than 16,000 calls and emails to their various helplines. One Safe Place provides support services all under one roof to anyone who has experienced child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, hate crime, elder abuse, human trafficking, violent loss, family violence, or other abuse or victimization. This is all in collaboration with over 100 community organizations and agencies like the Mexican Consulate and now the Attorney General of the State of Baja California and the State of Baja California Justice Center for Women, created to prevent violence against women and girls by providing legal, psychological and social services. Victims will no longer be forced to cross the border, sometimes waiting hours, to get to services. This partnership will ensure culturally-sensitive referrals for victims to access resources where they live, work or where they are most comfortable.

“Violence against women, children, and vulnerable people leaves a deep mark on their lives. It is necessary to develop and implement action protocols to guarantee comprehensive and sensitive care for victims of gender violence,” said the Attorney General of Baja California, Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez. “For this reason, I thank the San Diego County Attorney’s Office for providing a space where Mexican authorities can assist their fellow citizens who are victims of this crime. Baja California and California share a history of fighting against criminals who commit crimes on both sides of the border. We are convinced that working together is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation to ensure that victims receive help to heal their physical and emotional wounds, as well as guarantee justice for them.”

 

“Considering the reality of gender violence in our state and our close relationship with the United States, strengthening binational cooperation is not only important, it is imperative,” said Magdalena Bautista, Director of the State of Baja California Justice Center for Women. “Violence against women does not recognize borders, so justice and protection should not have limits either. Through this memorandum of understanding, we are taking a significant step to expand our impact and effectiveness in providing care and access to justice for women, and we reaffirm more strongly than ever our commitment to building a future where no woman has to live in fear, and where justice knows no borders.”

District Attorney Summer Stephan stands with the Consulate General of Mexico Alicia Kerber-Palma, Attorney General of Baja California Maria Elena Andrade, the Director of Baja California Justice Center for Women Magdalena Bautista, all holding up the signed MOUs.The renewal of the MOU with the Mexican Consulate further creates opportunities for collaboration with One Safe Place in outreach and prevention work, including the Consulate’s participation in the free informative community event “Cafecito Con La Comunidad” which takes place the second Friday of every month at One Safe Place. Together, the Mexican Consulate and One Safe Place have hosted events on wellness, have made college connections for first generation students and provided Consulate services at One Safe Place to meet the needs of the North County community and alleviate transportation barriers for those who are unable to travel to the Consulate’s main office in downtown San Diego.

“Addressing domestic violence requires a collective effort,” said Alicia Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. “It is crucial that we work together – government agencies, community organizations, and local leaders – to provide support to victims and prevent future cases of abuse. Consular assistance and the protection of Mexican communities abroad through the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego constitutes the highest priority of our foreign policy.”

 

“The continued partnership with the Mexican Consulate has helped strengthen a bridge with the Latino community and helps enhance their trust in law enforcement when reporting crime and seeking help when victimized,” said DA Stephan. “Together we will continue to work to ensure that victims who seek services at One Safe Place, where the Mexican Consulate is an onsite partner, receive culturally sensitive help in their native language that focuses on safety, justice and healing.”  

One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center is located at 1050 Los Vallecitos Blvd., San Marcos, CA 92069. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. The State Baja California Justice Center for Women is located at Avenida Moctezuma #1, Colonia Residencial de Cortez, Camino Verde, 22190 Tijuana, Baja California, with hours of operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

[VIDEO of One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center.]

Text that says "5 Things the DA's Office Accomplished in 2023" with the background of a gavel, scales of justice and a few books on a table.

5 THINGS The DA’s Office Accomplished in 2023

We are more than halfway through the year and District Attorney Summer Stephan wanted to take this opportunity to let you know about some of the work we are doing at the DA’s Office. Here are 5 things the DA’s Office accomplished last year in 2023:

1- Working together, we were able to reduce the numbers of fentanyl overdoses by over 7% especially with youth.

2- We updated our unique school threats protocol with all 42 school districts that is laser focused on preventing school shootings.

3- We grew and supported a first-of-its-kind Elder Justice Task Force that is working around the clock to protect seniors from fraud that destroys their hard-earned retirement.

4- We fought retail theft through our specialized team and brought down multiple organized retail crime rings to protect small and large businesses.

5- We served over 5,000 vulnerable victims at One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center, removing them from a sure path to homelessness and despair. We continue to work to obtain justice for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, hate crimes, organized retail theft, fentanyl poisoning, environmental and consumer fraud, elder abuse, sex crimes, child abuse and many more.

You can read our detailed Annual Report for 2023 by going to SanDiegoDAannualReport.com or visit SanDiegoDA.com and click on 2023 Annual Report.