YWCA Utah Safety and Security Appropriations Request
Utah State Representative Jennifer Daily-Provost is sponsoring a one-time $1.7 million appropriations request on behalf of YWCA Utah to enhance and upgrade safety and security. Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, our campus is home to six buildings that span one third of the city block. We provide 26% of domestic violence shelters nights in Utah. Our crisis shelter is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. In the past year, our dedicated shelter staff provided 12,000 hours of advocacy and answered 5,466 crisis calls.
Over recent years, we've unfortunately seen an increase in safety threats to our campus, both from some community members and from survivors’ partners who have chosen to use harm. This is precisely why the issue has taken on such urgency for us. Ensuring physical safety is our paramount responsibility to those who seek refuge in our sanctuary.
Through the generosity and unwavering support of private donors and the Board of Directors, we have made enhancements to our safety and security infrastructure. Our campus is now enclosed by a beautiful 8-foot gate system, ensuring that anyone wishing to enter must possess the necessary security clearance. Additional upgrades such as improved parking lot lighting, an integrated campus-wide walkie talkie communication system, specialized security training, and an expansive network of security cameras equipped with the latest monitoring technology have proven invaluable. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the McCarthey Family Foundation, The Call Family Foundation, Intermountain Community Care Foundation, The Larry H and Gail Miller Family Foundation, YWCA USA, and every single YWCA Utah Board Member.
While we celebrate how much we have accomplished updating and upgrading our safety and security infrastructure, there are several essential upgrades and enhancements that are needed to ensure full campus security and that are foundational to fulfilling the mission of YWCA Utah.
Funding from the Utah State Legislature would allow us to implement a campus-wide emergency alert system to enable staff to communicate rapidly across campus in case of any type of emergency with ADA Accessibility features for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. We are also seeking a new generator that will enable alert and emergency procedures to take place with power loss. An updated access control system will allow us to fully integrate our new video surveillance and security systems. We also would like to create a dog park within the safety and security of our campus so survivors can tend to their animals’ needs without having to disclose their location. Window screens and tints on shelter windows will enhance privacy, safety, security, and sanctuary as many new buildings have been constructed around the shelter buildings and now have viewing access into the crisis shelter.
As our community evolves, so too must our strategies and responses. Our current success in maintaining an outstanding level of safety and security stems from the meticulousness and expertise of our staff. Preparedness is the cornerstone of our approach. Many of these proposed enhancements, along with others, are the result of proactive identification by our team. We believe in staying ahead, preparing for potential challenges, and ensuring that our safety and security measures are not just reactive, but also preventive.
By removing barriers to safety, survivors regain their sense of security and stability, supporting them to rediscover their lives, their joy, and to chart a brighter future.
For more information about our policy work, check out our bill tracker and sign up for our policy emails at www.ywcautah.org/advocacy.