The Partnership For Safe Families & Communities is a 503(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Ventura County, California that focuses on child abuse and family and community violence prevention. The Partnership serves as an advisory council to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on local, state, and federal child abuse prevention fund allocations as designated under the California Welfare and Institutions Code. It functions as a major collaborating, coordinating, networking, educational, outreach, and communication resource providing a safety net and helping children, individuals, and families at all stages of the lifespan. Their stated mission is, “To promote a community committed to safe healthy families.”
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History
The Partnership originated in 1982, when the Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention and Treatment (CAPIT) program was established by Chapter 1398, Statutes of 1982, and AB 1733 of the State of California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 18960 et seq., and the Ventura County Board of Supervisors acknowledged the Ventura County Council on Child Abuse. The Partnership was created out of a 2002 merger of the Ventura County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Ventura County Family Violence Prevention. In 2003, The Partnership developed an alliance with the then-Ventura County Elder Abuse Council, now the Ventura County Adult Abuse Prevention Council, in the effort to prevent abuse across the lifespan. In May 2008, the name of the organization was changed to The Partnership for Safe Families & Communities of Ventura County, The Designated Child Abuse Prevention Coalition (The Partnership), to streamline efforts to become a 501(c)(3) in order to better serve Ventura County. In March 2011, The Partnership was granted federal 501(c)(3) tax exempt status through the IRS. In July 2013, The Partnership became an independent non-profit.
Values
The Partnership is committed to protecting children, its communities, strengthening families, and giving hope to those seeking to break the sometimes generational bonds of physical, verbal, sexual, emotional abuse, family violence and community violence. Through education and prevention awareness they believe that communities can strengthen families to provide a safe and nurturing environment. By ensuring optimal development, they believe children can heal from the wounds of abuse and neglect, and families can improve their quality of life. They value and believe in the resilience of families, accountability, prevention of child abuse, countering family and community violence, and empowerment of the communities.
Events
The Partnership is involved in numerous events throughout the year. In April they observe Child Abuse Prevention Month. They also host an annual sock drive for the homeless. In past years the Partnership has held the CommUnity Summit for Violence Prevention as a means to network, educate, and spread awareness for their causes. Additionally, the Partnership hosts 5k runs, film screenings, and various awareness/education events.
Members
Members include a number of organizations and individual members, and hundreds of constituents from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors including concerned citizens and professionals from the business, child care, criminal justice, education, faith, law enforcement, mental health, physical health, and social services community.
Organizational members include: A Tree of Knowledge, Aegis Treatment Centers, L.L.C., Area Housing Authority, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Casa Pacifica, City Impact, C.L.U.E. Ventura County, Channel Island Social Service, Housing Authority of San Buenaventura, Many Mansions, PFLAG Ventura Chapter, Pleasant Valley Neighborhood for Learning Pleasant Valley School District Rainbow Connection Family Resource Center, Step-up Ventura, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Ventura County District Attorney.