San Mateo County launches specialized team to support high-risk domestic violence survivors

San Mateo County, California – San Mateo County supervisors have announced the creation of a specialized team aimed at helping high-risk survivors in a major step toward reducing domestic violence. Reflecting a shared dedication to attending to a pressing community need, the unanimous vote took place on Tuesday.
The newly formed Domestic Violence High-Risk Case Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) will bring together survivor advocates, health professionals, legal aid workers, and law enforcement officers. Sponsored by Supervisor Noelia Corzo, this project seeks to give people most at risk of domestic violence timely and organized assistance.
Supervisor Corzo underlined the important part the MDT plays in guaranteeing survivors’ protection and welfare.
“The High-Risk Case Multidisciplinary Team will provide immediate and specialized attention and offer survivors of domestic violence the coordinated support they need to find safety and thrive,” Corzo said in a news release. She emphasized that this team is a part of a larger initiative aiming to coordinate agency efforts and integrate best practices from other areas after the Domestic Violence Task Force was established last year.

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Alarming county data highlight the need of this project. San Mateo County saw two more suicides tied to domestic violence in 2023 along with five deaths directly related to it. Sadly, in 2024 the city of San Mateo alone claimed that all five of its murders connected to household events.
In such high-stakes events, the presence of guns usually increases the risk. Co-sponsoring the project, Supervisor Dave Pine voiced his expectations for the MDT’s influence on gun-related violence in domestic affairs.
“It is my hope that the MDT will allow for early identification of perpetrators who also have access to firearms and prevent some volatile and violent situations,” Pine said. He noted that the county’s Gun Violence Prevention Program plays a vital role in removing firearms from those identified under restraining orders.
The MDT’s duties will be extensive, covering the creation of guidelines for managing high-risk situations, tracking the success of interventions, using data to adjust responses, pointing up service gaps, and semi-annual reporting to the Domestic Violence Council.
Elisa Kuhl, victims services program manager for the District Attorney’s Office, pointed out the predictable nature of many intimate partner domestic violence homicides.
“Research has shown that intimate partner domestic violence homicides are often predictable,” said Kuhl.
This project shows a proactive response to a problem that usually remains under disguise until it is too late. San Mateo County intends to not only assist survivors in immediate risk but also stop the spread of violence and save lives with the MDT established. Promising a safer future for its most vulnerable citizens, the community now observes as this ambitious project starts to take shape.