SAINT PAUL — Today, Secretary of State Steve Simon recognized five Minnesota crime victim organizations at an awards ceremony in St. Paul for their commitment, partnership, and excellent service to applicants of the Secretary’s Safe at Home address confidentiality program
The Safe at Home program is designed to assist Minnesotans who wish to keep the location of their physical residence private for personal safety reasons, often because they are victims of domestic violence and stalking. The program has enrolled over 5,000 people since its inception in 2007.
The organizations recognized include: 360 Communities, located in Eagan and Hastings; Alexandra House in Blaine; Committee Against Domestic Abuse in Mankato; Cornerstone Advocacy Service in Bloomington; and The Refuge Network, a Program of Family Pathways, which has offices in Isanti, Chisago and Kanabec counties.
“I’m proud today to recognize these organizations and the dedicated employees who work day in and day out to promote Safe at Home and assist those who want to enroll in the program,” said Secretary Simon. “As a legislator, I was very involved with developing the program, and now as I travel around the state, I hear firsthand just how critical this life-saving service is to so many women, men, children and families. Unfortunately, not enough Minnesotans know about Safe at Home. We’re working to change that, but we can’t do it alone. We need the help of every Minnesotan who knows someone suffering – please let them know about Safe at Home and how it could help.”
Secretary Simon also recognized 20 employees from these organizations and others — including Casa de Esperanza in Minneapolis; McLeod Alliance for Victims of Domestic Violence in Hutchinson; North Shore Horizons in Two Harbors; and the Tri-County Victim Witness Program in Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, and Yellow Medicine counties — for their partnership with Safe at Home Application Assistants.
Application Assistants, employed by organizations like these throughout the state, are specially trained to assist people who would like to enroll in Safe at Home. A person who wants to enroll in Safe at Home meets face-to-face with an Application Assistant to discuss their safety concerns and the Application Assistant works with them to determine whether enrolling in Safe at Home is a good safety step for the person to take. There are currently over 230 trained Application Assistants throughout Minnesota.
Participants enrolled in the Safe at Home program use a post office box as their legal address for all purposes so they can go about their daily lives without risk of the persons they fear discovering their physical address. First class mail sent to the post office box is forwarded to the participant’s physical address by the Secretary of State.
Secretary Simon has made strengthening and increasing awareness about Safe at Home a top priority of his administration. He worked successfully with Republicans and Democrats at the legislature to pass a bill further strengthening the program by providing courts with a uniform framework when working with Safe at Home participants.
He has also visited with a number of Safe at Home partner organizations while traveling the state, including those in Aitkin, Albert Lea, Cambridge, Cloquet, Crookston, Detroit Lakes, Duluth, Faribault, Fergus Falls, Hutchinson, International Falls, Little Falls, Mahnomen, Mankato, Milaca, Moorhead, Winona, Rochester, Warren and Worthington.
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Contact: Ryan Furlong, 651-297-8919, ryan.furlong@state.mn.us