What Is The California “Safe At Home” Program?

For victims of domestic violence, the fear of an abuser stalking you or attempting to contact you after you’ve escaped from a dangerous living situation can be overwhelming. In addition to securing a domestic violence restraining order, another security measure you can take is to enroll in the California Safe at Home program.
 

What Is California Safe at Home?

Safe at Home is a confidential address program administered by the California Secretary of State’s office. The program offers victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking & elder and dependent abuse, as well as reproductive health care workers, a substitute mailing address to receive first class, certified, and registered mail.

The program is free of charge for anyone who is a California resident and meets the requirements for participation.

Safe at Home Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the California Safe at Home program, you must be:

• A victim of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking
• A household member of a victim listed above
• A reproductive health care facility employee, provider, patient, or volunteer

Additionally, you must be in fear for your own safety and/or the safety of a minor child or incapacitated adult.
 

What About My Children?

If you have minor children and want to apply for the program, the law requires the Safe at Home administrators notify the other custodial parent of your enrollment. Also, any court order relating to your minor children must be provided to Safe at Home.
 

How To Apply

To apply for Safe at Home, you’ll need to contact an enrolling agency. In Sonoma county, there are currently three enrolling agencies, all located in Santa Rosa:

• Family Justice Center Sonoma County
• Sonoma County Victim Assistance
• YWCA Sonoma County

You can also call the Safe at Home program for further assistance at (877) 322-5227.
 

Do I Need A Lawyer To Enroll?

While you do not need a lawyer to enroll in the program, a family law attorney can help you with enrollment as part of a broader effort to protect you from your abuser. This may include filing a restraining order, filing for divorce, and filing for custody of your children.

If you are a domestic violence victim and need immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

For legal assistance with a restraining order, divorce, or custody, please contact our offices.