Unless immediate funding can be found, Safe Havens, the Kent-based domestic violence visitation and exchange center, will close its doors at the end of April.
Safe Havens opened in 2005 as one of four federally funded demonstration sites across the nation. But federal, state and King County budget reductions have left a $100,000 gap in the program’s 2010 budget, according to a city of Kent media release. The city of Kent funds $100,000 of the annual operating budget of $340,000.
Since opening in 2005, Safe Havens has kept adult and child victims of domestic violence safe while complying with court-ordered visitation or exchanges.
Merril Cousin, executive director of King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said when a relationship ends due to domestic violence, many are under the impression that the abuse ends as well.
“Instead, the danger to the adult victim and children often increases,” Cousin said. “When children are involved, the court is highly likely to order parenting time to the non-residential parent. Even without a court order, many children want to visit their other parent and many non-abusive parents want their children to have a relationship with the other parent as well.”
King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque said domestic violence cases pose serious challenges in providing for the safety of children during parental visitation and exchanges.
“Safe Havens provides a safe, affordable and culturally diverse option for families in our community and is an extremely valuable resource to the courts,” DuBuque said. “It is the only program of its kind in our region.”
Supporters of Safe Havens have been looking for ways to find more funding for the program.
“City staff and program allies have been working diligently to develop a long-term sustainability plan for the Safe Havens,” said Katherin Johnson, Kent’s Housing and Human Services Manager. “However, if emergency funding is not found immediately, we’ll be forced to close doors as early as April 30. Friends and allies of the program are soliciting emergency funding from various foundations and agencies as well as asking for personal donations. Checks have begun to roll in, however much more is needed and quickly.”
Since the opening of Safe Havens, state and county funding assistance has been an annual request by city officials.
Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke said the softening economy made the need to transition the service very apparent.
“Our annual legislative agenda has included the transitioning of Safe Havens over to a state agency or non-profit organization,” Cooke said. “We can’t deny the value of the program, but it is truly regional in its scope. Safe Havens has provided services county-wide and beyond to Snohomish, Pierce and Thurston counties. It should not, and cannot be funded only by the city.”
Nearly 80 percent of the clients served by Safe Havens are from outside of Kent.
Cousin said there can be tragic consequences of unsafe visitation programs.
“Ten years ago, Melanie Edwards and her 2-year-old daughter, Carli, were shot and killed by Melanie’s abusive husband in the parking lot of a visitation program in Seattle,” Cousin said. “Safe Havens is our best insurance against something like that happening again.”
The city of Kent has established a fund to accept donations.
Checks can be made payable to City of Kent/Safe Havens and mailed to Safe Havens Visitation Center, 220 4th Ave S., Kent, WA 98032. Donations via credit card can be made online at www.formdesk.com/kccadv/SafeHavens. Donations are tax deductible.
For more information about Safe Havens, go to www.kccadv.org/Events/Save_Safe_Havens.htm.
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