Marjaree Mason Center

The Marjaree Mason Center operates three shelters in Fresno County. These shelters mainly house women believed to be victims of domestic violence and their children. Alternative housing arrangements are also available for men who are victims of domestic violence.

The oldest of the Marjaree Mason Center shelters, the Emergency Shelter is confidentially located in the City of Fresno. This 21,380-square-foot (1,986 m²) facility has 93 beds in 40 rooms and is staffed 24-hours a day.

The Emergency Shelter also features the Enrichment Center, where children can play, learn, and take part in activities organized by center staff.

The Clovis Safe House is located in the City of Clovis.[1]

Reedley House is an 18-bed shelter, located in Reedley, California.

Marjaree Mason Center Administrative Offices, located in the Einstein Home

The Marjaree Mason Center confidential crisis hotline (559.233.HELP) is staffed 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Marjaree Mason Center staff can offer safety planning tips.

Housed in the Marjaree Mason Center Administrative Offices, therapists bill on a sliding scale to treat victims of domestic violence. The Marjaree Mason Center offers group and individual therapy for children and adults.

Marjaree Mason Center advocates have offices in both the Fresno Police and Fresno Sheriff's Headquarters. They ride with domestic violence detectives to visit alleged victims and may accompany alleged victims to court.

The Marjaree Mason Center offers a Legal Options class, a parenting class, and another known as S.A.F.E. Group. Legal Options covers information on restraining orders, criminal charges, and custody questions. The parenting class focuses on promoting positive parenting skills. S.A.F.E. Group provides general information regarding domestic violence. Marjaree Mason Center shelter clients are also invited to take part in life-skills, and nutrition/cooking classes. Another specific course for Safe House clients is called Expressions Through Art, which is designed to promote healing through art.

Marjaree Mason Center legal advocates assist domestic violence victims in obtaining and renewing restraining orders. Advocates also provide court accompaniment.

Three times a year, the Marjaree Mason Center offers a 40-hour domestic violence victim advocate training course that fulfills the State of California's certificate requirement for providing direct services to victims of domestic violence.

Marjaree Mason Center outreach advocates provide informational presentations on domestic violence and domestic violence services available in Fresno County. Presentations cover the signs of domestic violence and what to do if you believe someone you know may be a victim. These presentations are typically performed for schools, health care providers, law enforcement officers, court officials, social service providers, and other community stakeholders who may be in a position to help victims of domestic violence.

The kNOw MORE program works within high schools and junior highs to provide teen-dating-violence prevention and intervention services to youths. The program began as part of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, but in 2008, lack of funding forced the county to give up the project, and the Marjaree Mason Center took over administration of kNOw MORE.

kNOw MORE consists of Marjaree Mason Center staff members who train teachers to be kNOw MORE facilitators, and students to be kNOw MORE educators. The students then travel from school to school presenting the kNOw MORE curriculum to students at large.

The kNOw MORE program operates in more than 15 Fresno County high schools and more than 10 middle schools. The program reaches more than 15,000 Fresno County youths a year.

Located at a separate facility as the services for battered women, the batterer's intervention program consists of a 52-week, typically court-mandated, class for domestic violence offenders.