New building for Tulsa’s Family Safety Center nears completion

Tulsa's Family Safety Center is getting ready to move to a brand new facility, which is four times bigger than its current one.

The center is for survivors of things like domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and elder abuse, so they can get the help they need to start healing.

The brand new Case Family Safety Center sits near 31st and Sheridan, 10 years in the making, and it's almost ready to serve families.

The space is 65,000 square feet, compared to the 15,000 square feet space they are in now, in an old crime lab at TPD headquarters.

The Safety Center's new home is next to the Child Advocacy Network.

"The paradigm of how we serve families that are exposed to violence in this community changes up 180 degrees,” Family Safety Center CEO Suzann Stewart said.

Stewart showed News On 6 the inside of the building, where there is a brand new medical suite, offering a space to treat victims.

There is also a brand new courtroom, with separate entrances for victims and defendants. Stewart said the new space is being built with intention around every corner.

"Our survivors who have used services in our existing facility have had input,” Stewart said. “So this is really the result of hundreds of people over the last ten years who've given their input and are actually making this come to reality today."

On the second floor, there is a lot of office space for staff and partners. There is also a wellness area, where they can exercise.

"When they hear these stories eight hours a day, five days a week, from different people coming in, right now, we have as many as 50, 55 individuals coming in and telling their stories right every single day. You take on their trauma. It's called vicarious trauma or secondary trauma. It's really hard to get rid of that. So staff wellness becomes very, very important."

There's still a lot to do, but everyone involved has a vision in mind that they look forward to sharing with those in need.

“This will allow us to really do what we need to do the right way,” Stewart said.

The Family Safety Center expects the building to be done by mid-November.

Funding for the $24 million building came from several sources, including city, county and state money, and several local foundations.