Family Justice Center

While Shasta County and community non-profits offer services to help victims of domestic abuse, the services are scattered.

"We provide a lot of services in Shasta County, but they're not easy to access without a vehicle," Supervisor of District 5 Les Baugh said. "It's almost impossible to make the rounds (on foot) and get the services needed."

"Sometimes they (victims) get discouraged. They may give up and not get the services they need," Shasta County District Attorney Gerald Benito said.

Victims of domestic abuse may find themselves without shelter or food for themselves and their children. They may also require drug counseling or help obtaining a restraining order, Benito said.

Those needed services will be put in reach of victims in 2010, thanks to a grant secured by Shasta County earlier this month to train staff for a Family Justice Center, Benito said.

"It will be a place victims can go with children and wait for services to come to them," Benito said.

The grant money will be used to train staff to bring their services to clients.

While only three such Family Justice Centers exist in California, Shasta County was selected as one of six counties to be added to the list, Benito said. Funded by Blue Shield of California Foundation, the $50,000 grant is renewable for the center's second year.

The center will be in the old Shasta County Library building at the corner of West and Shasta Streets in Redding. The district attorney's office will move to the same location once construction is completed, Benito said.