SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio leaders are sharing the city's recent progress in helping domestic violence victims.
Police have received thousands of family violence reports this year, but the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) is letting Metro Health provide support while assessing the risk victims face.
Over time, San Antonio has tried to change its approach. The distribution of resources for domestic violence victims has gone from being handled by police to being an effort spearheaded by other organizations.
It’s something both sides say is helping victims get connected to the help they need.
Domestic violence is a complex problem that requires many solutions. Some of those solutions were discussed during Tuesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting.
“There’s nothing wrong with how the police department does it, but we have the ability to enhance it. We have the ability to change the factors around the person… and separating ourselves makes a victim feel more at ease,” said Erica Haller-Stevenson, a public health administrator with Metro Health, at Tuesday's City Council Public Safety Committee meeting.
Haller-Stevenson said they provide long-term services to victims once a case is reported to SAPD.
“Find permanent housing that’s safe for them, a job that gives them their own money and financial control, counseling anything that helps them get out of that abusive environment,” she added.
In the first half of the 2023 fiscal year, more than 6,700 people received screening and advocacy services while 507 got direct assistance such as emergency lodging, transportation or goods.
The partnership and change of supervision over the programs allows SAPD to handle the criminal side of domestic violence.
“Those hours or days after the incident, that’s where it’s changed to make sure the services are there, that there’s a safety plan in place,” Rene Gallegos, supervisor of SAPD’s Special Victims Unit, told KENS 5.
The top-five reports SAPD investigates include family violence, aggravated family violence and protective order violations. Nearly 4,000 family violence reports have been filed so far in 2023.
But police and their partners are trying to solve the problem together.
”This is a public health approach now that’s victim-centered, regardless of the relationship between the police and the health department, our focus is on getting what the victim needs,” Haller-Stevenson adds.