The Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program (Supervised Visitation Program) provides an opportunity for communities to support the supervised visitation and safe exchange of children in situations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. Studies have shown that the risk of violence is often greater for victims of domestic violence and their children after separation from an abusive situation. (1) Even after separation, batterers often use visitation and exchange of children as an opportunity to inflict additional emotional, physical, and/or psychological abuse on victims and their children. Visitation and exchange services provided through the Supervised Visitation Program should reflect a clear understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; the impact of domestic violence on children; and the importance of holding offenders accountable for their actions.

The Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, Division for Women received the Department of Justice’s Safe Havens Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange grant award effective October 1, 2007.  This grant is for one year of planning and two years of implementation of the first formal supervised visitation and safe exchange program in Arizona for parents and children in situations involving domestic violence.  The grant identifies Pinal County for implementation of this program.  An advisory committee composed of core members from Pinal County is actively working to develop the program design, policies & protocols, and an implementation plan for location(s) in Pinal County.  Ultimately, a manual will be developed which can be used by other counties in Arizona to replicate the program.

John Raeder
Program Administrator
Division for Women
Phone: (602) 542-1705
Fax: (602) 542-5522
Email: jraeder@az.gov