Serving the San Diego community, One Safe Place – a project of the San Diego County District Attorney provides comprehensive support services at no cost for survivors of abuse and other forms of victimization, empowering them to move forward with their lives. From restraining order assistance and safety planning to trauma therapy and help navigating housing, One Safe Place provides all this and more in a safe and judgment-free environment.

the challenge

Inside One Safe Place, the San Diego District Attorney convened many partners, including law enforcement, nonprofit victim services partners, health care professionals, legal services, and more. This center is the decades long realization of District Attorney Summer Stephan’s dream to regionalize the family justice center model, a worldwide best practice started in San Diego 20 years ago in order to reduce barriers for victims across the large San Diego County. It sought solutions that would be reliable and unobtrusive to the One Safe Place mission.

the solution

To implement a versatile technology platform that could adapt to the evolving needs of One Safe Place, the organization reached out to AV consultant Casgan, Inc. and AV integrator Communication Wiring Specialists, Inc. The solution needed to be implemented throughout the entire facility and create a streamlined experience without complex technology interactions for the staff or the center’s visitors.

the technology

As a facility with a powerful and important mission, One Safe Place was approached with a very intentional design plan to ensure the space would properly serve the community in a purposeful way. This deliberate approach translated to the technologies selected to serve the center, which would need to provide a reassuring environment complete with informational digital signage with personalized messages and unobtrusive solutions that would streamline day-to-day activities. Crestron technologies play a pivotal role in setting up and navigating these digital content options, adding innovative digital enhancements to the provided services. Simplified interfaces were a must, and Crestron room scheduling offers a clear indication of room availability. In addition, Crestron-powered displays bring-your-own-device capabilities make connecting laptops hassle-free.

The easy-to-manage facility was designed to not only ease the minds of visitors as they made their way through the center, but also to allow the staff to be more efficient with room management, giving them space to focus on the situations at hand rather than fiddling around with the technology. To achieve a seamless flow, digital signage solutions and room scheduling panels guide everyone through the building, helping to assuage an otherwise stressful situation. Crestron AirMedia® wireless technology runs on the displays, and when it is not actively in use for presenting or conferencing, Appspace® software powers branded digital signage content throughout the facility. The room scheduling panels also natively run the Appspace software for a unified user experience.

This project is unique in that it relies heavily on digital signage and the tight integration of Crestron technology, allowing the building to operate effortlessly around users without requiring extensive manual interaction. Crestron scheduling panels are distributed throughout to facilitate room bookings and scheduling for several offices, including state and local government employees, police detectives, and medical personnel. Crestron room scheduling panels enable efficient reservation and utilization of various spaces, catering to permanent partners and temporary users alike.

One of the more technology-backed spaces in the facility is the training area, which is equipped with a Crestron control system, DigitalMedia™ content distribution platform, and AirMedia® wireless technology. The training center is a crucial component, offering a spacious and adaptive environment that facilitates state-of-the-art training sessions. Staff can divide the room to accommodate various groups and discussions while also supporting hybrid remote connections. For example, staff and volunteers can conduct live cooking classes and sessions on nutrition and have the ability to record through multiple HD cameras to capture the entire room and post to a web portal for later viewing.

There are a variety of client interview rooms that leverage AirMedia wireless presentation technology and a Crestron Flex sound bar, creating a natural way to capture important conversations while maintaining a comfortable environment. Additional huddle rooms, used mostly by staff, allow groups to collaborate on specific topics or family-related matters. These huddle spots and supplementary conference rooms feature Crestron Flex videoconferencing solutions. Lastly, One Safe Place also features a remote courtroom setup where victims can participate in court proceedings via platforms like Microsoft Teams® software, allowing them to engage in the courtroom experience without physically being present at the San Diego Superior Court.

the results

The San Diego District Attorney in its One Safe Place center has created a facility that will not only revolutionize the services offered to their county members, but which lays the groundwork for future centers to replicate in other communities. Crestron technology provides a solid foundation for a system that has the versatility to connect various platforms and that will adapt as needs continue to evolve.