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.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
