Mountain Crisis Services, Inc, is a private, non-profit organization that was created in 1991 by a group of concerned citizens in Mariposa County in response to the escalating problem of domestic violence and the abysmal lack of services for domestic violence victims.

In 1995, Mountain Crisis Services (MCS) received its 501c3 status, enabling the agency to hire staff and apply for state funding. In 1997, MCS opened its first safe house, and in 2001 opened its second safe house. In 2006, we opened a third safe home that we had constructed with grant funding, which will allow us to house up to 12 more individuals. We are currently exploring options to turn our first two shelters into transitional housing. The agency was initially staffed with volunteers and has grown to employing 10 staff.

Following the closing of A Woman's Place of Merced County, several domestic violence agencies within the Central Valley discussed how to help and support Merced County. According to Pam Kallsen, Executive Director of Fresno's Marjaree Mason Center, we have a strong central valley coalition of domestic violence programs who were very concerned about the future of victim services in Merced County. Merced County deserves the best. Based on the existing relationship with A Woman's Place and the fact that the State's Rape Crisis Program was a joint Merced/Mariposa grant; Mountain Crisis Services was the obvious choice to take the lead in helping Merced.

Ms. Kallsen went on to say, our coalition of providers believe that Mountain Crisis Services will be able to establish well run and organized programs for victims and their children. Our agencies have offered our ongoing support and assistance to Mountain Crisis Services as they reestablish programs in Merced County.

Immediately, Mountain Crisis Services sought to collaborate with other groups who had submitted interest in providing services in Merced along with the new A Woman's Place leadership. These groups included Marjaree Mason Center, Fresno Rape Crisis Services and Case De Esperanza. Marjaree Mason Center is Fresno's domestic violence provider and Fresno Rape Crisis Services provides assistance to sexual assault victims in Fresno County. Case De Esperanza is a local group of trained and experienced advocates, who were already providing volunteer domestic violence legal advocacy and support groups in the Los Banos area with the support of the Los Banos Salvation Army. Both Marjaree Mason Center and Fresno Rape Crisis Services offered their technical support to MCS. Additionally, Fresno Rape Crisis offered help on the west side of Merced County through their Firebaugh office. Casa De Esperanza has offered to continue providing limited services in Los Banos along with providing first hand knowledge of the needs of the various communities in Merced County. While the Casa De Esperanza continues to provide services through the Los Banos Salvation Army facility, we began discussing how Mountain Crisis Services could partner with Casa De Esperanza and have them come under the auspices of Mountain Crisis Services.

Out of this collaboration Valley Crisis Center (VCC) has been established and has become a part of the Mountain Crisis Services' program to serve Merced County. The goal of VCC is to ensure that there is no lapse in basic services and supports for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault while the Merced communities develop long term, Merced driven, solutions to this crisis. The challenge for Merced is to both restore public trust and to provide previous levels of service.

However, to begin the long range planning and restoration project, VCC has its own Advisory Board made up of concerned Merced community members. According to Candy O'Donel-Browne, Mountain Crisis Services Board President, Merced has a high awareness for the need for domestic violence services and long history of advocating for victims. We believe that all the Merced communities will respond to this crisis and take responsibility to ensure these services will continue.

Heading up VCC Advisory Board is Wayne Eisenhart. Wayne is the outgoing Merced County Public Defender and was a member of the Board of Directors that formed A Woman's Place. According to Mr. Eisenhart, It is now nearly three decades since the first organization providing services to victims of family violence was established in Merced County. In that time, thousands of persons have received services--and yet the need abides. Shelter and advocacy are still needed daily in the community. The people of Merced County have been generous in their support of A Woman's Place in the past, and I trust that this support will continue as new structures are created.

Mountain Crisis Services

P.O. Box 2075

5079 Highway 140

Mariposa, CA 95338

24-Hour Hotline: (209) 966-2350 or (888) 966-2350

Community Office: (209) 742-5865