Clackamas leaders plan larger Family Justice Center after 39,000 visits since 2013

Sheriff James Rhodes and District Attorney John Wentworth said the A Safe Place Family Justice Center in Oregon City, opened in 2013, has handled about 39,000 visits from survivors and needs a larger facility to meet demand.

"The Family Justice Center opened in 2013 and since then has experienced 39,000 visits from survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault," Rhodes said, calling the center a "crowning jewel" of local collaboration. Wentworth said the current center is about 9,000 square feet and that county leaders expect to break ground on a new facility "by the end of 2028." He described the new site as intended to house more partner agencies and increase capacity for survivors.

County officials said the expansion responds to rising demand for coordination between law enforcement, prosecutors and nonprofits, and aims to reduce service navigation fatigue by offering co-located advocacy, legal help and medical support.