Our History
Timeline
Valley Trauma Center began as a community-led Rape Crisis Center without a physical location. Dr. Charlie Hanson recognized a need to support such important work and helped create the Charter under ¼ªÏé·»'s College of education.
Family Preservation and Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Treatment services began.Â
Inception of LA County's first Family Justice Center began with co-location of CATS and LAPD. 2012 SU takes lead for FJC.
Valley Trauma Center changes it's name to StrengthUnited! First time the agency goes through a branding change to better reflect the work we do.Â
The agency receives the first prevention grant addressing root causes of violence. Begins implementing Close 2 Home and begins to work on community mobilization.
¼ªÏé·» Campus Care and Domestic Abuse Response Team began.Â
SU is awarded the Trauma Recovery Center grant and designation embarking on a new journey of expansion larger than the RCC.Â
Voices Unites, a survivor-led group is formed.Â
SU received funding for Child Advocacy Center.
StrengthUnited merges with Mitchell Family Counseling Clinic. Introduction to school-based services and expansion of community counseling.Â
SU is awarded its largest grant in history. A testament to further growth and expansion through Community Public Health Teams. StrengthUnited names a new Executive Director committed to a vision of growth and learning.Â
Rebranding of StrengthUnited to include a new Mission and Vision statement, Values, Workplace Culture, Agency Reorganization, and Awarded Best Companies to Work for in Southern California.
Office opened in the City of San Fernando.
Who We Are
For nearly four decades, StrengthUnited has been a beacon of hope for survivors when they need it most. We're an alliance of mental health professionals, advocates, and researchers united by one mission: healing trauma through connection.
As a multi-service agency, we provide trauma-informed, culturally relevant care to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child maltreatment across the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys—communities where such services are severely limited.
Operating as a division of The University Corporation, a nonprofit auxiliary of California State University, Northridge, we blend academic excellence with compassionate service. We honor the Sesevitam—the original people of this land—as we work alongside the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians.
Why We Are Here
In Los Angeles County, violence touches tens of thousands annually—40,000 domestic violence cases, 22,000 child abuse reports, and countless unreported sexual assaults. These traumas cascade into physical, mental, and financial crises. We exist because healing requires more than fragmented services—it demands a unified approach.
What We Do
We transform trauma response through our comprehensive, free services:
- Immediate Crisis Response: 24/7 intervention when survivors are most vulnerable
- Trauma-Informed Therapy: Evidence-based individual, family, and group sessions
- Specialized Advocacy: Guiding survivors through legal, medical, and social systems
- Ongoing Case Management: Ensuring no survivor falls through the cracks
- Community Education: Breaking cycles of violence through prevention
Our impact reaches thousands annually—serving 2,000+ children, 2,700+ adults, and responding to 1,100 crisis calls. Our prevention education reaches 45,000 community members, focusing on developing youth leaders and supporting LGBTQIA+ and multilingual communities.
Who We Serve
The racial/ethnic make-up of the San Fernando Valley is 41.7% Latino, 40.11% Caucasian, 10.48% Asian, 3.61% African American, and 4.33% who identify as other.
In the Santa Clarita Valley, the population is 62.36% Caucasian, 23.61% Latino, 6.85% Asian, 3.40% African American, and 4.33% registered as other.
Age demographics (in years) in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys combined are: Children (0-13) - 18.9%, Young adults (14-24) - 15.21%, Adults (25-44) - 28.65%, Older adults (45-64) - 27.86%, and Seniors (65-84) - 9.38%.
- Female - 2,695
- Male - 578
- Other - 12