The theme of this edition of SBF’s County Connections Report is “Defining Safety in Santa Barbara County.” This report explores some of the major issues threatening the safety of our residents, and highlights several social service agencies doing important work to remedy these issues.
NOTE: This report shares hard truths about our county and sensitive content that is at times difficult to read. We encourage you to take the time to learn about the challenges facing our community and neighbors.
After learning that human trafficking is more prominent in our county than previously thought, SB ACT collaborated with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and other local agencies to form the Santa Barbara Coalition for Freedom.
Homelessness in Santa Barbara County, both chronic and temporary, seems like an intractable problem, but organizations like Good Samaritan Shelter, Doctors Without Walls, Transition House and others are working on it anyway.
New Beginnings Counseling Center is a national leader with their innovative Safe Parking Program. Safe parking programs are an important part of the effort to reduce homelessness, especially in coastal cities where affordable housing is extremely limited.
“The number one cause of women being homeless is domestic violence,” said Jan Campbell, Executive Director of Domestic Violence Solutions. This article discusses the statistics surrounding domestic violence and the promising services being provided by local nonprofits.
Sexual violence is a widespread issue that affects people of all genders and is a traumatic experience not limited to any demographic or socioeconomic group. That is why the newly re-branded organization Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) changed their name, in order to be more inclusive and supportive of all survivors.
People Helping People (PHP) offers programs and services in four categories throughout the Santa Ynez Valley: basic needs, health care, children & youth, and family & individual support. They have always prioritized the goal of self-sufficiency, while recognizing that people sometimes need help along the way.
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