Local
Westminster center to bring survivor services under one roof in 2027
A new center planned for Adams and Broomfield counties will connect survivors of domestic violence and other abuse with legal, housing and mental health support in one place. It is expected to open in January, though organizers say long-term funding remains uncertain.
A new Family Justice Center planned for Westminster will bring a range of services for survivors of domestic violence and other abuse together under one roof, with a tentative opening planned for early to mid-January 2027.
The center will serve people in Adams and Broomfield counties who have experienced domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault or elder abuse. It is being built inside the Adams County Human Services Center and is intended to reduce the burden of navigating multiple agencies and traveling to different locations for help.
People will be able to walk in without making an appointment, reporting a crime or involving law enforcement. Services are expected to include legal assistance, housing connections, mental health support and victim advocacy. The facility will also have a space for children and a virtual courtroom, allowing survivors to attend court remotely rather than share a physical courtroom with an alleged abuser.
About 3,800 domestic violence cases are filed each year in the two counties, according to 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason. He said many additional incidents are not reported or do not result in charges because of insufficient evidence.
Mason said the period when a survivor is trying to leave an abusive situation can be especially dangerous. Requiring people to travel between numerous service providers can make that process harder, he said, and the center’s goal is to help save lives. He added that communities with Family Justice Centers have seen domestic violence homicide rates fall.
The project has been in development for nearly six years. Executive Director Amy Russell said the center is coordinating with legal providers, medical professionals, law enforcement, housing programs and shelters to make referrals easier. She cited housing and shelter access as a key concern, saying domestic violence accounts for about 30% of unhoused people.
The center expects to begin with four staff members: Russell, a coordinator and two navigators. Russell and Mason estimate it could serve about 1,000 people in its first year. Mason said the center may eventually outgrow its planned location.
Russell said the effects of domestic violence can extend beyond immediate physical and psychological harm, affecting children’s education, health and survivors’ ability to work. She estimated that Adams County spends $300 million to $350 million in response to domestic violence.
Organizers say securing stable, long-term funding is still a challenge. Mason said the immediate priority is opening the center and demonstrating its value to the community.