Expanding services and support for domestic violence survivors

In 2024, Gardner Center researchers started working with the San Mateo County Executive’s Office, District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Division (VSD), and Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA) to evaluate programs designed to support domestic violence survivors and their families; disrupt intergenerational cycles of abuse; and improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of children, families, and communities in San Mateo County.

The challenge

An estimated 10,000 residents in San Mateo County are affected each year by domestic violence. This abuse contributes to a range of physical and mental health challenges for survivors and places children in these high-conflict households at risk of repeating similar patterns of abuse — whether as perpetrators or victims — in their lifetimes. Meanwhile, a complicated web of barriers, particularly financial, can hinder survivors' ability to leave abusive situations.

The solution

The San Mateo County Executive’s Office — in collaboration with San Mateo County VSD, local law enforcement, and CORA — has launched two pilot programs to address the complex and evolving needs of domestic violence survivors and their families.

The Shaping Positive and Resilient Kids (SPARK) program was developed to ensure that children living in homes affected by domestic violence receive the support they need to heal and thrive. The Gardner Center has worked closely with VSD and CORA to: (1) identify key early indicators that demonstrate the program's progress; and (2) develop an evaluation framework to guide data collection, analysis, reporting, and continuous learning and improvement.

The Guaranteed Income Pilot Program aims to alleviate some of the financial challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence by providing resources like safe housing, legal services, mental health support, and financial workshops, as well as twelve monthly $1,000 payments to twenty eligible individuals. The Gardner Center is evaluating the implementation and outcomes of the pilot program to understand participants’ experiences and the impact on their wellbeing, financial independence, and housing stability.

Key takeaways

Empowering survivors and their families with appropriate supports, ranging from counseling to financial assistance, requires coordinated systems to address the broad impacts of abuse. San Mateo County is actively pursuing cross-sector collaboration between county agencies and nonprofits to address the complex needs of domestic abuse survivors and their families. The Gardner Center is playing a critical role by helping the county evaluate how the programs are implemented and their impact on participants.

Within its first two years, SPARK has contributed to an increase in the number of children in high-conflict households who are connecting to mental health services.

CORA saw a 78 percent reduction in trauma symptoms among SPARK-enrolled children who started and completed clinical services during calendar year 2024.

Findings related to the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program will be released in 2026.