San Antonio Nonprofits Open Region’s First Crisis Nursery for Families

San Antonio families facing emergencies like sudden hospitalizations or housing instability now have access to a newly renovated 12-bed crisis nursery home operated by Respite Care of San Antonio, providing free, voluntary short-term care for children to prevent crises from escalating into child welfare involvement, according to reports from the San Antonio Report.

The newly opened residence brings Respite Care’s total residential capacity up to 42 beds near downtown San Antonio, with a dedicated portion set aside for families connected through the Safety Nest Network. The coalition quietly operated on a limited basis for roughly eight months before launching the expanded physical facility during an Aug. 18, 2026, ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to reporting by the San Antonio Report.

Unlike traditional models concentrated in a single facility, the Safety Nest Network functions as a collaborative coalition stitching together existing infrastructure across San Antonio. Participating organizations include ChildSafe, AVANCE, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, YWCA San Antonio, Family Service Association, Brighton Center, SJRC Texas, Belong, UT Health San Antonio, and Respite Care, according to the San Antonio Report.

A Collaborative Model Designed for San Antonio Families

Coalition members developed the approach after studying five crisis nurseries nationwide and visiting three in person, opting against single-organization models in favor of pooling existing staff, expertise, and licensed child care centers, according to the San Antonio Report. Rebecca Helterbrand, president and CEO of Respite Care, described the arrangement to the San Antonio Report as a Puro San Antonio approach that leverages deep local collaboration.

ChildSafe acts as the central coordinator for the network, functioning as air traffic control to assess what drives a family’s crisis when they reach out, according to Elizabeth Reeves, chief impact officer at ChildSafe, as reported by the San Antonio Report. The voluntary program connects parents with services such as housing assistance, behavioral health treatment, child care resources, and substance use treatment while children stay temporarily in a safe setting without parents relinquishing custody, according to reporting by the San Antonio Report.

Local parents have already highlighted the practical impact of the network during personal medical and career emergencies. Krizia Ramirez Franklin utilized the Safety Nest Network after realizing she had underestimated the recovery period following a medically necessary double mastectomy in March 2026, relying on Respite Care to look after her four children for a week, according to the San Antonio Report.

If it hadn’t been for Respite Care, I’m not sure how I would have recovered during my first week. The Safety Nest Network will allow people like myself, who are just trying to do the right thing without having to worry about getting caught up in the system … get the help that they need.

— Krizia Ramirez Franklin, San Antonio Report

County Exploration and City Studies

The launch of the nonprofit network coincides with growing public sector interest in crisis nursery models across Bexar County. Commissioners recently directed county staff to explore establishing a county-supported crisis nursery, potentially funding the effort using roughly $1.6 million previously budgeted for Child Protective Services family-based safety services caseworkers after the state assumed responsibility for those positions, according to reporting by the San Antonio Report.

Barbara Schaffer, director of strategic planning with the Bexar County Manager’s Office, told commissioners that the key benefit of the model is its temporary nature, keeping children out of foster care while families address emergencies like domestic violence or medical crises, according to the San Antonio Report. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar also noted to commissioners that law enforcement officers frequently encounter children during family emergencies and often rely on makeshift solutions like buying formula and diapers out of their own pockets while waiting for relatives or placements, according to the San Antonio Report.

While county officials evaluate options, a separate feasibility study commissioned by the City of San Antonio in 2024 to examine local crisis nursery operations has not yet been publicly released after more than a year and a half, according to reporting by the San Antonio Report.