Services Expand for Domestic Violence Survivors

San Diego Youth Services is expanding our support for youth experiencing domestic violence, thanks to new funding from the California Office of Emergency Services.

The four-year grant is enabling our organization to integrate domestic violence services and another layer of short-term and emergency housing resources for domestic violence survivors, including many in our existing programs.

“It’s such a big need,” said Kayla Kelly, program manager for one of our transitional housing programs for youth ages 18-24. “Domestic violence and homelessness go hand-in-hand. Fifty percent of people who are homeless have also experienced domestic violence.

“These experiences have placed our youth in ongoing unstable and unsafe situations where they see no potential for a life with a support system that is truly safe, loving, supportive and consistent. Through the ability to provide these youth with counseling and case management services specific to the trauma they have experienced, paired with housing and additional financial assistance our youth are more able to become independent and self-sufficient.”

Recent examples of youth helped through our Safe Family Services program include a homeless youth whose mother is the primary abuser, another youth who had been on the streets for seven months because of family violence and a youth who was fleeing intimate partner violence with their two small children.

The funding is part of $9.6 million awarded to organizations across the state and $1.2 million to groups in San Diego, including the Community Resource Center, Home Start and YWCA of San Diego.