Family Justice Center reports rise in survivors served; food pantry and county risk assessment cited

The Family Justice Center told the Sherwood City Council on May 6 that it served 7,200 survivors and provided 11,691 individual services in 2024, and credited a countywide risk-assessment rollout and expanded food pantry with improving outreach and survivor safety.

Rachel, a Family Justice Center presenter, said the center has seen consistent year-over-year increases in both services offered and people served. “Our services have increased, and the number of people that we are seeing increases,” she said.

The center’s report said Washington County adopted a unified risk assessment that responding law‑enforcement officers now use during domestic‑violence calls; results are shared with jails, release officers, courts and district attorneys to inform supervision and release decisions. Rachel said that effort coincided with an “80% reduction in homicides in Washington County” that year tied to family‑violence interventions.

Staff and councilors said the report matters because domestic violence is a major driver of homelessness and other social problems, and because coordinated,…