'A One-Stop-Shop of Services:' New Family Safety Center Under Construction In Tulsa

The Family Safety Center provides support for individuals who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The center is in the process of constructing a new facility that is 98 percent funded. The concrete was poured on Friday morning, and the center's CEO expressed her excitement about the new opportunities the building will provide.

What is the Family Safety Center?

"The Family Safety Center is essentially a one-stop shop of services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and elder abuse," said CEO Suzann Stewart. The Family Safety Center's mission is to provide multi-disciplinary services that offer protection, hope, and healing to victims.

What does the Family Safety Center do?

The Family Safety Center helps obtain emergency protective orders for domestic violence victims, provides help to children who have been exposed to domestic violence, provide forensic medical exams, legal support, and more. It also provides representation to victims of domestic violence. "About 80% of our clients come in to file emergency protective orders. We're the site for people who are filing emergency protective orders in Tulsa County," Stewart said. Stewart says they help about 6,000 people each year.

Where is the center now? Where is the new center being built?

The current center is located at 600 Civic Center, Main Floor Police Courts Building Tulsa, OK 74103. The new building will be located at 2829 S Sheridan Road Tulsa, OK 74129, next to the Child Advocacy Network. "It's going to be totally integrated, separate but integrated. We will be able to have an advocate at their site, they will have an advocate at our site that will help us make that coordination so much easier," said Stewart.

How is the new one different?

The new building will be 65,000 square feet, as opposed to the current one's 15,000 square feet of workspace. It will have all the same resources as before plus some, including a new protective order courtroom, counseling spaces, resource referrals for education and training, supervised child exchange and visitation, and more. "Our civil legal section and advocacy section will be huge. We'll have space for our mental health partners including those at Family and Children Services who are currently with us now, but even more availability for counseling," Stewart said, "I think one of the biggest parts of it is that we will have the protective order court, that currently is housed in the Tulsa County Courthouse, joining us on that site with a specially built courtroom." It will also include a 5,000-square-foot medical suite.

When will the new building be finished?

Stewart said they are hoping for the construction of the new Case Family Safety Center to be complete in October 2025.

How can I donate to the Family Safety Center?

The new Case Family Safety Center is 98% funded, but they are still in the public campaign phase. There is currently a $1.5 million matching grant in place. To donate, visit fsctulsa.org or visit the Family Safety Center Facebook to donate.

If you are in need of help, you can call the 24-hour emergency number at 918-743-5763, or text 833-338-5763. A direct line to the Family Safety Center is 918-742-7480.