San Mateo County plans Family Justice Center providing resources for victims of violence

San Mateo County will open a multi-agency center that will provide resources for victims of interpersonal violence under one roof, the county District Attorney’s Office announced.

The Family Justice Center will have services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking. Integrating these resources at a centralized location helps increase efficiency, access to services, and reduce the number of times survivors have to retell their stories, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The county will build and operate the Family Justice Center with the help of Alliance for HOPE International, a San Diego-based organization that advocates for and aids in the setup of Family Justice Centers across the country. So far there are 15 such Centers in California, including several in Alameda, Sonoma, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Sacramento counties.

San Mateo County Family Justice Center will be located at 1510 Fashion Island Blvd. in the city of San Mateo. The county’s Child Advocacy Centerwill be permanently relocated to the Family Justice Center.

The District Attorney’s Office has selected Peggy Sherbon to lead the San Mateo County Family Justice Center. She has been a victim advocate in the Prosecutor’s Office of Bonner County, Idaho, and serves as director of Bonner County’s LillyBrooke Family Justice Center.

“We are excited to welcome Ms. Sherbon to lead our new Family Justice Center and better serve victims and their families,” the District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

The county has purchased the building and hopes to begin construction this year.

“We are working with an architect to build the best possible facility for our victims and partners in serving victims,” District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in a statement.

The county is aiming to open the Family Justice Center, at least in part, in 2026.