Safe+Sound Somerset Inc.
We Believe Survivors!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Safe+Sound Somerset prevents and responds to domestic and sexual violence with programs that provide safety, support and education for individuals, families and the community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
24-Hour Call or Text Hotline
The Hotline functions as the first connection for help with domestic violence situations. The Hotline is a tool to access information pertaining to domestic violence and to inform callers about the resources available through Safe+Sound Somerset, Inc. All call are confidential. The Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English and Spanish.
Emergency Safe House
Short term (30-60 days) residential program available to victims of domestic violence who believe they are at risk of further abuse by remaining in the home.
Individual and Group Counseling
Based on the Strength Perspective and Empowerment model, counselors meet with clients regularly to provide education around domestic abuse and to help them explore their options. Client centered treatment plans are developed as a guide to achieve client goals. Individual and group counseling are available in both English and Spanish.
Legal Advocacy
The Legal Advocacy program provides an array of services to help domestic abuse victims understand their rights and protect themselves using the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. Services include; court preparation and accompaniment, legal clinics, legal advocacy and support, and dismissal of restraining orders.
Domestic Violence Response Team
Domestic Violence Response Teams (DVRT) were first authorized in New Jersey in 1987 through the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. When police respond to a domestic violence call, the officer secures the safety of the victim and other family members and offers the assistance of the DVRT.
DVRT volunteers respond at the time of crisis to help victims get through the “golden hour” of intervention. The sooner assistance is offered to the victim, the more empowered they are to address the domestic abuse in their life. Data shows that early contact between a DVRT advocates and domestic abuse victims is a leading factor in reducing recidivism rates.
The DVRT volunteer is specially trained to provide critical information at a very overwhelming time, so the victim has a clear understanding of their options. The follow-up process is particularly important if a temporary restraining order is granted and a court appearance is necessary to obtain a final order of protection.
The role of DVRT advocates:
Gather background information from investigating officers to gain an understanding of the situation.
Talk with the victim, providing an opportunity for them to talk about the incident in a non-threatening atmosphere. The DVRT volunteer can extend a limited counselor/client confidentiality privilege to the victim.
Answer questions and provide clarification about victims’ rights and domestic abuse laws.
Explain the restraining order process.
Review the dynamics of domestic abuse with the victim to provide clarity of the situation.
Assist the victim in assessing immediate needs for shelter, safety planning and children’s safety (if applicable).
Financial Empowerment
Safe+Sound Somerset’s Financial Literacy and Empowerment program supports survivors of domestic abuse in creating lives free from economic abuse and dependency. Services provided through our Financial Empowerment Center equip clients with the knowledge, skills, and tools to re-gain control of their finances and their future.
The Financial Empowerment Center also coordinates our Domestic Violence Housing First program for survivors.
Community Outreach & Prevention
Our Community Outreach & Prevention program aims to reduce violence by promoting safety and creating change. We provide trauma-informed, evidence-based prevention and intervention programming in Somerset County.
Our goal is to increase the capacity of community members of all ages to understand, recognize and respond to all forms of domestic and teen dating violence. In addition to a wide range of interactive programs, we attend community events, fairs and other local affairs to comprehensively support efforts to reduce and prevent violence.
We are available for presentations and trainings to your company, community group, and professional, medical and religious organization. Frequent topics of our presentations include:
Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence 101
Safe+Sound Somerset Services
Violence is Violence/Trauma is Trauma
Healthy Teen Friendships & Dating Relations
Media LIteracy
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of direct service units provided annually
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Units of direct services provided to adult and child survivors through individual and group counseling, case management, and legal advocacy, and financial empowerment and housing first.
Number of phone calls/inquiries
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
24-Hour Call or Text Hotline
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Calls and/or texts answered and managed by our 24/7 domestic abuse hotline.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Safe+Sound Somerset is the only organization in Somerset County providing comprehensive services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Our compassionate, evidence-based/informed programs are designed to provide safety, hope and healing to survivors and their children; and to educate, interrupt, and stop intimate partner violence by leveraging our expertise and advocating within systems to create safe spaces for all.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Safe+Sound Somerset provides short-term, emergency shelter in our safe house, also known as Victoria House, to survivors and their children who are seeking confidential refuge from an unsafe, abusive living situation. Located in a quiet setting, Victoria House is a place of healing with five private bedrooms, a comfortable living space and a common kitchen. To supplement, we also provide offsite emergency shelter to 5 additional families. There's a playroom and fenced-in backyard where your children can play in a secure environment. All basic needs such as food, toiletries and clothing are provided to residents of Victoria's House.
Individual and group counseling helps adult and child survivors heal from the trauma of domestic and sexual abuse. In a supportive environment, survivors use healthy coping strategies and relaxation techniques and begin their journey to a new life, free of abuse.
New clients are encouraged to join our K.I.T.E. -- Knowledge. Inspiration. Togetherness. Empowerment -- psychoeducational group (available in English and Spanish). Participants meet for eight weeks to talk about the dynamics of domestic and sexual abuse. Facilitated by one of our advocates, this discussion group covers a variety of topics including power and control, healthy boundaries and warning signs of an abusive relationship.
Children who are sexually abused or witness domestic abuse often develop behavioral issues, learning disabilities and even developmental setbacks. Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are common in these children. They are at higher risk than their peers for alcohol and drug addiction, suicide, becoming abusive and being abused. Our youth programs are designed to help children greatly reduce these risks and to break the cycle of violence. In 2023, we add counseling for survivors (3-18 years of age) of child sexual assault and those exhibiting problematic sexual behavior.
Our youth counselors are highly trained in a variety of proven methods to help these children heal, build coping skills, express feelings appropriately and explore healthy relationships. Creative arts, music, play and verbal therapies are applied in a safe setting to individuals and age appropriate groups.
Our advocates work with individual parents and facilitate parenting groups to help them address their children's needs. Topics include guilt, fear, trust, safety and discipline.
Family therapy is offered to families in crisis who want to learn how to cope with issues together. It can help change family dynamics, heal relationships, build trust and improve communication between parents and children.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Safe+Sound Somerset is proud of its highly dedicated and qualified team of diverse professionals and volunteers.
Front line staff consists of case managers and advocates. Case managers and advocates are hired with Bachelor's degrees from a variety of fields. Counselors have Master's degrees in counseling, social work or related areas. We seek staff with backgrounds in crisis intervention and sensitivity to domestic abuse issues. All staff must complete a minimum of 60 hours of specialized domestic and sexual violence training before working with clients, and participate in ongoing individual and group supervision and in-service training.
Volunteers are an integral part of Safe+Sound Somerset, contributing time and talent to enhanced client services and raising community awareness. We offer numerous volunteer opportunities to suit the needs of those who want to help:
Legal Advocates Guide clients through the complicated legal system
Helpline Advocates Answer 24-hour emergency hotline calls and texts
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Non-fatal Strangulation and Smothering Response Teams Work with police to assist victims in the midst of crisis
Community Educators Make presentations about domestic abuse
Childcare Supervise children while parents are in counseling
Food Shoppers Supply our safe house with groceries and other amenities (using our account)
Office Support Help staff with general office work such as copying and preparing mailings
Fundraising Support Lead or participate in committees to create and implement successful events, appeals and campaigns to fund programs for survivors
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Each year we are able to serve a growing number of clients. Since 2019, our numbers have grown exponentially across the organization. In addition to the increased number of clients we are serving, their needs are more complex and require additional intervention and support from staff and volunteers. The number of programs/services that a survivors engages in larger and take longer and more sessions.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Safe+Sound Somerset Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/28/2024
Sheila Breeding
Lisa Barclay
Prudential
Term: 2024 - 2026
Sonia Rodrigues-Marto, MA, LPC
Rutgers University
Lisa Barclay
Prudential
Amy Karson
Brand K
Deirdre Blaus
RWJUH Somerset
Delta Ramirez
Spherion Staffing
Lisa Sanders
Balancing LIfe Counseling Center
Natalie Piniero
Downtown Somerville Alliance
Trashaun Powell
NJ Family Planning League
Virginia Toledo-Hernandez
Toledo Geller
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/23/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.