Covid-19 

We at SHSSC follow all CDC guidelines and recommendations to keep all of our guest, staff and volunteers safe. Testing of all guest, staff and volunteers will be conducted prior to entering our facilities for guest and staff will be limited to keep outside exposure at a bare minimum. We will not risk anyone's health and safety.......Mask will be worn at all times inside the building except during meal times. If weather permits meals will be allowed outside to limit the spread indoors. All efforts will be made to do our part to eradicate this deadly virus. We will do our part to keep our community safe. 

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Emergency No Contact Woman's Shelter

Safe harbor sanctuary's first priority is to meet the most basic of human needs in providing safe harbor to any woman who needs shelter from the streets or leaving a domestic violence situation, no questions asked. A literally carpet will be rolled out for them at safe harbor sanctuary no matter the time of day or night. All guest will be given the VIP treatment. We will provide first compassion and love to begin their healing and restore their dignity, safety, food, clean clothing with socks, shower toiletries bags, hot showers, warm clean bed and peace of mind. Our first aim is to give them security and a sense of safety as their most basic hierarchy of needs are being met. Food, bathing and proper rest are the most basic of need and we aim to help stabilize, eating and sleeping patterns as this sets the tone for the rest of ones day and how they navigate life.

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Intake 

Once they have had a few days to catch their breath, a complete intake will be taken and first a full medical examination will be performed to address any immediate medical, vision and dental needs and to address any new or long term illness that have gone untreated. These will be performed free of charge conducted by a community of hospitals, clinics and medical professionals we have partnered with adding to our community village of safe harbor sanctuary. For those coming off of the streets who's health has been neglected learning to take care of their mind, body and spirit maybe completely new to them and we will help retrain some and teach others to care for self in all areas for optimal health.  From a army of female MDs in all areas of medicine such as general practitioners, gynecologist, women's health practitioners, physicians assistants, registered nurses, lvn's, medical assistants, certified nurses assistants those psychiatrist and psychologist CDAAC certified counselors, crisis/rape counselors social workers and holistic wellness nutritional counseling and plant based cooking classes. We aim to meet the whole needs of all of our guest where help is needed. This army of female professionals also will serve a dual purpose to engage and show these women our guest that they too can pursue a dream of a education in pursuing a certificate in a trade or degree in a field they might have long since given up on. Fostering dreams is part of our healing model. Building character, self -worth and self- determination is what our care for these women our guest is all about. Our goal is to prepare each guest to re-enter society with their heads held high, hearts filled with confidence and be able to take care of self and families. This will all begin from the moment they cross the threshold into the Safe Harbor of our Sanctuary.

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Short/ Long & Permanent Housing   

Safe harbor sanctuary is an agency that offers emergency shelter services for homeless teen young and mature woman ages 18-100.  Emergency housing is provided for teen young women 18-24 who have aged out of foster care with out a transition plan and have no where to go but the streets. We will do all we can to help keep this from happening. Mature women who are ages 18 to 100 will be served who are homeless and living on the streets. All women are welcome who are victims of domestic violence, sex trafficking, sexual abuse, substance abuse addiction and mental illness with special care to honor our female Veterans. Safe harbor sanctuary is a safe place for you to shelter during the storms of life. You will receive compassion, care and love from safe harbor's staff and upon arrival you will be given a  hot beverage, plant based hot meals, shower toiletries bag, clean clothing, socks, and a clean warm sanitary bed. We meet the immediate need of safe emergency shelter, safety and hunger. Then we assess what their need is next during the intake process. Women who are escaping domestic abuse and violence can rest assure they will be safe in our care and we will do all we can to make them feel safe and welcome. There will be times they maybe have to move right away to assure their safety as we are part of a world wide network of women protecting women, we are our sisters keepers. If you are ready to escape the violence and leave you life behind, call us and when safe, we will work toward your date of liberation to freedom. You maybe have to move across the country or even out of the country if need be. So if you do not have a Passport and are reading this get one you never know, you may need it one day to save your life.!!!!If you have friends who need to learn about our services and are ready to be liberated share our website and number so that you can help them leave safely. Our addresses are deliberately not published for the safety of our clients. Our network is all across the nation and even international connection and we work with multiple agency's to assure no one is hurt on our watch.   

 

Family Preservation

Safe harbor sanctuary family preservation is implemented when problems in families are so severe that teens may be at risk from removed from the home. The goal is to keep the family united by providing in-home outreach counseling services that will assist, support, inform and educate the family.

The family preservation program is a collaborative effort between the department of children and Family Services (DCFS), Department of Mental Health (DMH), Probation and Safe Harbor Sanctuary Social Services.

The purpose of the family preservation program is to:

         Promote the safety and well-being of teens and their families
         Preserve family unity where teens safety can be supported
         Maintain permanency for teens
         Empower families to achieve or sustain independence and self-sufficiency
         Enhance the support for the family within their community

 

Residential Treatment Program

Safe harbor sanctuary will operate residential facilities including transitional housing for teen girls and one facility for teenage girls and young women 1824. Teens are referred to Safe Harbor Sanctuary by the Los Angeles County DCFS, (DMH), and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. We offer an array of therapeutic services and enrichment programs for each teen to address her experience of abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect. Often when teens enter the foster care system they have suffered considerable trauma, their immediate welfare is at-risk and they present with a wide range of behaviors and psycho social needs. Therefore, safe harbor sanctuary has established the following priorities for the residential program that will focus on:

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Emergency Crisis/Rape/Domestic Violence Intervention and Counseling

Safety or freedom from abuse and injury

Permanency or assisting the teens and significant others to establish a safe and stable nurturing relationship achieved through reunification, relative or other legal conservatorship or emancipation into college life. Well-being ensuring educational opportunities, life skills,  medical, dental, psychological and psychiatric well-being, financial money management education, long term fiscal investment  financial planning as well. 

The purpose of the safe harbor sanctuary residential transitional programs are to provide each teen with an individualized treatment, support their needs and a service plan that will identify the teens and family’s strengths and successfully work with the teens and family’s presenting issues while ensuring the teen’s safety permanency, well-being and success.

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Safe Harbor Sanctuary Women's Health Clinic

SHS is working on  adding to our emergency shelter campus a womens health clinic. This clinic will serve to give immediate accessment and care to women coming in off the streets. The goal is to give a complete medical health check up and determine if they are in need of emergency medical attention that can best be cared for in a hospital setting. The clinic will also serve in a teaching capacity for high school , medical students , psychologist and social workers to work and earn their clinical hours and learn street medicine they can use if they choose to work with the homeless population  and medical mission trips abroad. 

 

Mental Health Services

Safe harbor sanctuary through our contract (DMH), will provide a multi-faceted approach to the emotional wellness of our residents. The highlights of this unique program include mental health services provided to clients in our shelters and transitional housing.  Open to all teens and women in our programs. Our therapeutic staff works proactively with the residents and families when at all possible especially for the young women aging out of foster care with no plan or support. Bridging the gap between biological or former foster families when at all possible is the goal in order to develop a plan that works for both the young woman and the family to address the women's mental health needs.

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Case Management Services

Safe harbor sanctuary, offers social services case management are aimed at facilitating adaptive independent functioning through linkage with our staff and structured community resources.

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CalWORKs

The local GAIN office refers adult clients to safe harbor sanctuary who have mental health needs that are interfering with their ability to be gainfully employed. A focus is placed on addressing these work related mental health needs and providing the help needed to work successfully at competitive jobs adding education for a Trade and/or AA, BA/BS 4 Year degrees even MAs if  through adult education programs at California Junior Colleges, Colleges and Universities that offer adult education programs tailored for the working  or mature adults. 

 

Educational Programs

Safe harbor sanctuary aims to open education and vocational programs such as EMT, LVN and culinary training to women who have criminal backgrounds and are ready for rehabilitation to reenter society and the work force. We will provide intense rehabilitation treatment where their needs will be met. Treatments include individual, group and family therapy when they have family willing to help, substance abuse counseling, and case management.

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Vocational Education

Safe harbor sanctuary vocational education program services transitional aged teens/young adult women 18-25 years of age who are ready to learn and develop the skills needed to enter the workforce. job corps, peace corps, Jr. college certificate trade programs, culinary programs and individual tailored programs that meet unique needs of the teens who may have a special talent that needs to be nurtured and tapped into. These young women will have come out of foster care without a plan after aging out of the system.

 

Wraparound Services: Teen Young Women 18-19 and Family

Safe harbor sanctuary’s wraparound services are a unique service for families who have teens with severe emotional and behavioral problems. Wraparound focuses on building child and family strengths, fostering self-sufficiency, and promoting stability and permanency. The program is tailored to meet the individual needs of each teen and family resulting in a distinctive set of community services and natural supports. The goal of this program is to Increase safety, permanency, and well-being for all youth and families who participate in the wraparound process.

Wraparound is a planning process that assists families in identifying their strengths as well as their needs. An essential component of the wraparound program is developing individualized strategies to help families meet their needs and become less dependent on formal services. Safe harbor sanctuary wraparound services provide families the support needed to achieve stability and permanency and to avoid more institutionalized forms of care for teens. Our community-based program utilizes teams and a family centered, strength-based philosophy to support families, helping them explore and develop natural support systems in their communities. Each family creates their own individualized plan according to their needs and goals. The Wraparound team advocates for and empowers each teen and family to reach their goals and achieve self-sufficiency and independence.

 

Wraparound Services Provide as Follows:

Mental health rehabilitation services
Parent support and training
Planning to address youth and family needs
Case management services
Crisis intervention and support
Advocacy and life skills training

Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing Program

Safe harbor sanctuary transitional housing program offers housing for youth ages 18 to 24, who are either working or in school. Many transitional aged youth are emancipated foster youth. At the age of 18, these youth “age out” of the foster care system and are at high-risk of homelessness without the support of friends or family. This program provides independent living skills, job/career development, emotional, and academic support so that each youth may achieve independence. The Safe Harbor Sanctuary transitional housing program has also had success in placing its teens and families into permanent housing thus providing safe affordable housing to low income adults and families.

The permanent supportive housing program offers clients a comprehensive and supportive program that provides stable housing with a wide array of services such as case management, transportation assistance, educational assistance, job placement, life skills training, mental and psychiatric health counseling, substance abuse counseling and treatment, and medical and dental assistance.

 

Mentoring and Volunteer Programs

Safe harbor sanctuary volunteers support the organization by providing administrative, fundraising, and staffing support. Volunteers also assist safe harbor sanctuary social services with activities and events for clients. Our volunteers are carefully screened, background checked and trained, we drawn from the local community to be part of our village.

The mentor program matches highly trained and motivated adult mentors with teens residing in the safe harbor sanctuary locations, those living in the transitional homes, mental health clients. Mentors provide general guidance and support, promote personal and social responsibility, improve academic performance, and encourage participation in services and community activities.

Safe harbor sanctuary mentors are caring individuals from all walks of life who dedicate a few hours each week to serve as a positive adult role model for a safe harbor sanctuary social services teen. Mentors are carefully screened and trained and have the support of our staff.  Safe Harbor Sanctuary mentor program managers are always available to address questions or concerns. Our mentors find that the sometimes uncertain path to developing a relationship with one of our teens c becomes a rich and rewarding experience both carry with them for a lifetime. Both the teen and mentor are changed for life and gain from one another. That is a win, win we encourage and foster within our agency.

If you would like to become a mentor or volunteer please give us a call for an application and interview. All volunteers, staff and mentors are vetted nd will go through extensive background checks with the FBI and DOJ. Sorry no men will be considered due to the clientile we serve and no feleons under 10 years old. If over 10 years since last felony we will review on a case by case bases depending on the crime convicted of. Absolutely no sex offenders of any kind will be considered. 

 

Dollora's House,  My Sisters Keeper Shelters and Transitional Housing 

All will be are part of our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2016 to acquire, develop, own, manage, and operate affordable housing for women who are struggling with mental health diagnoses and struggle with homelessness supported by safe harbor sanctuary, a california nonprofit corporation.  Our mission is to stabilize, foster hopes and dreams by developing safe, affordable housing for teen girls, women and help reunite families to build brighter futures and strengthen communities.

Future goals for  Dollora’s House will increased safe harbor sanctuary permanent supportive housing capacity by  (%). Joyce’s Sanctuary will build new developments that will include 20 Single Family Homes and 20-30 Unit apartment communities These homes provides young women ages 18-24 struggling with acute mental health disorders and who have who have been homeless a opportunity to be in a community of peers as they attend school or vocational training programs with other young women who are working towards complete independence.  Our goal is to provide Women with new, safe, affordable, and supportive housing units with case management on site.
 

 

Edith's Kitchen (named for 94 year old celebrity chef, dear family friend/next door neighbor and foodie mentor) 

Safe harbor sanctuary is a all plant based agency that promotes clean healthy dietary habits as one begins the healing process from addiction. Clean and sober living also includes a clean diet. All facilities that provide meals will be plant based at all times. No animal products of any kind will be served in our office or shelters and homes.  Also all catered events will be plant based as well. Organizations such as church's, civic groups, clubs, sororities, are welcome to volunteer and  come prepare and eat meals with the ladies and  staff, ( Due to the nature of the clientele we serve only women will be allowed to come cook and visit). Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as the women learn to re-enter society and rebuild trust and healthy relationships with men. Call SHS to schedule a day to come cook for the ladies, volunteers provide the food for the meals they wish to come cook and all of the plates, utensils, cups and serving dishes. If you wish to donate pre-made outreach lunches or dinners please let us know so we can prepare to go out that day to pass them out. Our outreach is for all homeless regardless of gender, hunger is genderless. 

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Joyce’s Sanctuary

A shelter just for Women who are severely mentally ill and who can not live independently. Safe harbor sanctuary executive leadership allows for a seamless collaboration between all aspects of our Programs to aid those especially living  with life long mental illness. This integration imparts over 60 years of experience and relationships developed while serving  Women who are homeless and high risk mentally Ill in the 6 counties of southern California areas.

 

Safe harbor sanctuary  while serving the female homeless, woman, female veterans, runaways in the 6 counties of southern california areas. Day drop In centers, mobile showers and mobile laundry vans, are dream projects, crisis/rape intervention,  community soup kitchen with breakfast/lunch and dinner, computer training, job placement referrals, computer lab for job search/ application submission/ email check/ phones for calls to set up interviews, message boxes, these are all slated for the day drop in center to help facilitate our guest with access society and life as they rebuild and work on coming off the streets into permanent housing.