History, Vision, and Values

Safe Haven, a program of Appleseed Community Mental Health, was established in 1997 as the only county-wide program providing support and advocacy for individuals who have experienced sexual assault. Less than a decade later, on October 16, 2006, Safe Haven expanded its services to include shelter and related support for survivors.

As a dual program addressing both sexual and domestic violence, Safe Haven continues to serve Ashland County by offering free, 24/7, year-round support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. Services include safe shelter, advocacy, crisis support, outreach and prevention education.

Safe Haven is an active member of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, reflecting its commitment to statewide collaboration and best practices in supporting survivors.

 

Our Values

  • Compassion: We care deeply about primary and secondary victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, and dating violence.
  • Safety/Shelter: Provide safe shelter to victims and their children fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and human trafficking.
  • Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable to all victims, survivors, community and funding sources.
  • Collaboration: We work as a team in the community and with victims and survivors to ensure resources are available.
  • Passion: We are propelled by the belief that sexual assault and domestic violence can be stopped.
  • Trained Staff: Our staff and volunteers are trained to provide trauma informed and victim-centered service delivery, support, and advocacy to victims/survivors, empowering victims by focusing on personal decision-making. 

Vision

To enrich our community by restoring hope to families and individuals so they can live healthy, whole, and productive lives.

Appleseed's History

Appleseed was founded in 1991 and began offering adult mental health services; counseling, case management, crisis intervention, pre-hospitalization screening, diagnosis and medication/somatic to residents of Ashland County. In 1993, the agency added housing services for individuals with low-to-moderate income.  Two apartments were purchased in 1994 through a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services to house individuals with a severe mental disability. Services for children and families were added in 1995, and Appleseed became a full-service mental health agency.

Under the umbrella of Appleseed, the following supporting programs are also offered: Safe Haven, Community/School Liaison program,  Co-Occurring Program, SPARK program, and Supported Employment program.

Appleseed, as a multi-service agency, provides high quality, research-based, affordable, and outcome-driven services to help residents improve their lives and develop necessary skills to live, learn, and work successfully in our community. The agency has grown from 12 employees serving only adults seeking mental health treatment to over 100 employees offering comprehensive mental health care and supportive services to persons of all ages. 

Values

  • Respect: Recognize the value of each person for their unique qualities and inherent right to be treated with and spoken to with respect in all client and staff interactions.
  • Learning and Growth: Provide staff with the opportunities to grow from experiences at Appleseed. In return, staff will demonstrate learning and growth in their respective roles.
  • Fiscal Responsibility: Operate within budget • Adhere to best practices regarding billing and collecting • Maintain a cash reserve • Secure an annual independent audit
  • Excellence: Appleseed and its employees will strive to fulfill the agency’s mission by creating a culture that embraces continuous improvement, program evaluation, data analysis, and a quest for excellence.