DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — Officials with the Open Door Network held a ribbon cutting October 9, celebrating Delano's brand new family justice center. Providing a safe space for anyone in a domestic violent situation.
- Located on 1317 Main Street, the new family justice center is a place of hope for families and individuals experiencing domestic violence.
- The Open Door Network already operates three shelters in Kern County, with one located in Delano. That shelter, according to officials, in the past year served 29 adults and 56 children.
- The Delano family justice center will include case management services, advocacy, housing services, mental health and group therapy services.
The Open Door Network has been assisting Kern County residents for decades and now, a brand new facility is dedicated to Delano residents and surrounding communities who are going through tough times. The new family justice center is officially open for business.
It took the Open Door Network two years to get to Wednesday mornings ribbon cutting and just in time to honor domestic violence awareness month.
The network operates the only emergency homeless shelter in Kern County as well as two domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking supportive shelters.
“One of those shelters being a 24 bed facility located here in the city of Delano. In the last year, the city of Delano shelter served 29 adults and 56 children,” Director of Client Services for the Open Door Network Ilene Parra.
Parra says seeing the need grow within the year further leaned into the idea of opening a family justice center in Delano.
“We know in Bakersfield locally, there’s a lot of resources to those who are facing these experiences but when you come out to the outskirts of Kern County, the resources become limited,” said Parra.
Rural therapist for the network Liliana Reyes says although the Delano shelter has supported many, they’ve also realized that not everyone wants or has the ability to enter a shelter, so, the justice center offers an alternative.
“We will have case management services, advocacy, we will have housing services, we will have mental health services,” said Reyes. “We will have group therapy services as well so it’ll be individual, group as well, we provide the services to all ages.”
On top of this, Reyes says no information is required and all services are free of charge and encourages anyone in a tough situation to reach out and ask for help.
“Having this definitely changes everything for our community as well as the surrounding communities because we know it’s a need and now we know that people know that there are advocates here willing to support them,” said Reyes.
Anyone who isn’t able to seek assistance in person can contact the networks 24 hour line by calling (661) 327-1091.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
