Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley (Safe Shelter) has been supporting victims of domestic violence (DV) since the 1970s. In the past few decades, we’ve helped victims find shelter, create custom safety plans, gain the confidence to live independently if they wish, and get the support they need. And even though the word shelter is in our name, we’re much more than just a shelter.
Although we do provide emergency shelter for victims of domestic and dating violence, elder abuse and human trafficking, we also support victims who are not in need of shelter. We give victims a voice and a safe place to share their feelings, concerns, fears, and anger. We provide space for victims to share their stories without judgment and without repercussions.
Who Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley Serves
Safe Shelter provides services and emergency shelter to all victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, family and dating violence, and elder abuse. We do not discriminate against cultural, ethnic, economic, language, age, or disability factors. We welcome anyone who identifies as male, female, and gender non-conforming. Everyone is accepted at Safe Shelter.
Unfortunately, that does not mean we can serve victims of all types of violence. Our services are specialized in serving victims of intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and elder abuse. We are not equipped to serve victims of non-DV sexual assault, roommate violence, or one-time incidents of violence, such as mugging. We are, however, happy to point you to appropriate resources.
What You Can Expect From Services at Safe Shelter
At Safe Shelter, we offer seven major programs for victims of domestic and dating violence, including:
- Emergency Shelter
- 24-Hour Crisis Line
- Individual and Group Counseling
- Advocacy
- Legal Advocacy
- Community and Peer Education
- Information and Referrals
Our goal is to assist individuals experiencing domestic violence in whatever ways they need support, and is certainly not to tell them what kind of support they need! Read more about each of our programs below to find out if one or more might be helpful to you or a loved one experiencing domestic violence. All our services are free, confidential, and offered in English and Spanish.
Emergency Shelter
As with all of our services, individuals of any race, gender, culture, ethnicity, language, economic status, age, and disability are welcome at our emergency shelter. Our shelter is located at an undisclosed site for the safety of our clients, employees, and volunteers. We accept anyone fleeing imminent danger from partner violence, human trafficking, or elder abuse as our capacity allows.
Our shelter offers a clean, welcoming, and comfortable environment for non-offending victims and their children. We also accept pets in the shelter, which can be a comfort to victims with pets. Our facility is ADA-compliant and can accommodate up to 31 adults and children nightly. Shelter clients are, of course, offered access to our other six services before, during, and after their shelter stay.
Shelter stay is limited; however, in rare cases where obstacles prevent survivors from obtaining employment, identity papers, legal resolution and/or affordable housing, we may be able to offer our Extended Stay Program.
To inquire about shelter availability, please contact our office at 303-772-0432 or our 24-hour crisis line at 303-772-4422 if calling outside of regular business hours.
24-Hour Crisis Line (English and Spanish)
Our 24-hour crisis line is available to take your calls at all hours of the day and night. Whether you’re in immediate danger or are experiencing a crisis related to a domestic violence situation, we are here to talk with you and connect you with appropriate resources as needed. You can call our crisis line at any time by dialing 303-772-4422. The crisis line is accessible in both English and Spanish.
Individual and Group Counseling
We also offer individual and group counseling to survivors of domestic violence. We provide counseling and advocacy services free of charge for one session or many depending on your needs and desires. We’re also pleased to also offer youth-focused and teen counseling services for children of domestic/family violence and victims of teen dating violence.
In addition to one-on-one sessions, we facilitate group counseling sessions to our clients, which can be incredibly powerful. Our adult group counseling sessions offer a safe space to share support and assist one another toward a safer, informed, and independent life (if that’s what you wish).
Our counseling services are provided by bilingual (Spanish and English) domestic violence advocates. Although they are not licensed therapists, our advocates are well-trained in domestic violence issues and are prepared to listen and guide you through the options you have available.
We do not require that you have left or plan to leave an abusive relationship to access counseling services. Our advocates will meet you exactly where you’re at. In addition to providing a warm, understanding space for you to share your thoughts and feelings, our advocates also provide:
- Crisis intervention
- Safety planning
- Counseling
- Case management
- Advocacy
- Community referrals to basic support needs
- Healing
- Progress toward self-identified economic and personal goals
No matter what kind of support you need, we are here for you!
Advocacy
Our advocates provide ongoing support and assistance to help survivors move forward from traumatic events in their lives. Having an advocate empowers you to work towards your individual goals and make decisions that are safe for you and your children.
An advocate can also help ensure your basic needs are being met and you’re taking care of the most important tasks on your to-do list. Rather than making decisions for you, an advocate makes sure you have the education and knowledge you need to make informed decisions yourself.
Legal Advocacy
Although not all survivors choose to pursue legal action, we help support those who do. Among other things, we maintain a registry of attorneys who are experienced with cases of domestic and family violence and immigration issues. Our attorneys have agreed to work for a reduced fee if you do not qualify for traditional legal aid.
In addition to a registry of attorneys, our experienced legal advocate provides information, support, and assistance to victims before and during their days in court. We can assist with civil protection orders, provide criminal justice advocacy with law enforcement and prosecution (including victim’s compensation and victim’s impact statements), and advocate for you within the child protection system.
Additionally, we realize that most of our clients aren’t legal experts themselves. Our legal advocate helps educate you about the court systems in general and we can even accompany you into court if you wish to have support standing behind you. Our legal advocate program seeks to increase safety for both adults and their dependent children.
Community and Peer Education
The more we all know about domestic violence, the more we can do as a community to prevent it. We offer many educational programs that can be presented in our office or at a space of your choosing. We provide presentations, workshops, targeted training, and in-service sessions at faith-based groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, schools, community events, and more.
We cover topics such as DV 101, dynamics of abuse, identifying trouble signals, prevention strategies for dealing with violent relationships, how to access available resources from the many programs we offer, and more. We can also cover custom topics of your choosing.
If you’re interested in scheduling an educational session, please contact Jenny by emailing jenny@safeshelterofstvrain.org or calling our office during business hours at 303-772-0432 for more information.
Information and Referrals
Finally, we know that supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence is a community effort. While we do everything we can to provide the best support possible, we also know that we can’t do it alone. When appropriate, we provide our clients with information and referrals to other resources as needed. We will always work to make sure you’re connected with the support you need.
Learn More by Calling Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley
At Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley, we are here to serve you or your loved ones who are experiencing domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, do not hesitate to get in contact with us. You can call our office during business hours at 303-772-0432, our 24-hour crisis line at 303-772-4422, or click here to fill out our online question form at any time.