What others say
about Color me SAFE

we have often never prepared for, the panic that comes with it feels like a giant rock that is pushing you right off the hill no matter how hard you try to hold steady.

I have always felt that knowledge is power, being well informed means being well protected. I had almost given up in my search of this knowledge by the time I contacted Color me SAFE and Ms.Gauthami and Ms. Karen not only reignited that dimming fire inside me but this organization provided me with so many resources and such valuable insights, that I was able to move forward and stand up for myself and my child with more confidence and courage than I had ever felt before.

I want to give a big thank you to Color me SAFE for the difference they have made for my child and I. Their services equipped me with the ability to speak up and have made such a big positive impact for us within these systems. Their services not only allowed me to speak up for my rights and be aware, but they validated my concerns and feelings, and if you are in a similar situation, you can understand how incredibly valuable that in itself is.

I highly recommend CMS, and I wish everyone on their team lots of happiness and success.

The knowledge that was share with me was incredible! I felt that my case was important to them and they took it personal and were willing to do everything and anything within their power to help... my experience with Color me SAFE was very positive and I can only hope that others going through hard times with their family will reach out to them and see the many ways they can help!

While he received ongoing counseling, his mental health deteriorated steadily and got more and more out of control.

It came a point where his behaviors posed severe safety concerns to himself and to others.

I realized that when you are the parent of a child who poses such safety concerns, you will get harshly judged by some people who have no understanding or relevant experience. You are on the losing end, no matter what: If you successfully manage to prevent the child from causing harm, some people will think that you are “paranoid”, “making things up” or “overly strict” and may even contact Child Protective Services (CPS). If even despite tight supervision, your child manages to cause harm, then a referral will be made to CPS, you may be accused or “lack of supervision”, and in a worse-case scenario CPS could break up your family.

I realized that it was time to contact Color me SAFE as a pre-emptive strike, to be prepared.  It took many months to finally find a long-term treatment setting for my son.  During those months, two CPS referrals were made: One referral was made by a “concerned friend” who claimed that I was “paranoid” and damaging my son because I was “too strict” with him, and another referral was made by school alleging “lack of supervision”.  Both referrals were closed immediately by CPS, after interacting with them as Color me SAFE  had guided us.  Gauthami supported my family during all those months, providing us with her in-depth expertise, guided us in each step on the way, and told us how to best interact with CPS.  She always responded to our phone calls and emails in a timely manner, she was caring and compassionate and was there for us in our time of deepest crisis.

As mentioned above, when you have a child whose behaviors pose significant safety concerns, you find yourself in a very precarious situation.  Many parents in such situations become paralyzed with fear of CPS involvement, which can reach a point to where it compromises their ability to seek out help.  If you are in such a situation, I recommend you contact Color me SAFE and get help.  They will guide you, assist you navigating the CPS system, and help you ensure the safety and integrity of your family.

However, the communications strategies and the parenting development techniques that Britany taught me have been invaluable in constructively rebuilding parenting relationships. I highly recommend the Color me SAFE services in any situation you may find yourself in with regards to your children.

Gauthami’s vast experience with Child Protective Services and knowledge of the dynamics at play in domestic violence matters is an opinion I can rely on when a quick decision must be made about something being family violence or not, so that I am better able to advise my clients and reach a decision about which direction to develop a case.

Several years ago, Ms. Vemula’s team made a presentation to my prior law firm concerning family violence, CPS and other related issues that typically arise in the type of family law cases we all handle in our practices.  Color me SAFE provided us all with resources for victims of family violence and precautions our clients could take when they had been harmed.

I highly recommend Ms. Vemula and Color me SAFE.

I was anxious that I would not be able to speak with Ms. Vemula who is the CEO before our family meeting with the case worker the following morning.

I contacted Ms. Vemula after 4PM and the website says that they will be in touch within 24 hours of first contact. After a couple of texts back and forth, Ms. Vemula was able to call me about an hour later.

I was panicked and fighting tears, not knowing what to expect. I honestly did not believe we were in any danger of having our children removed from the home, but some of our children were terrified, which did not help my emotions. After Ms. Vemula explained what to expect and some of the possibilities of how the meeting might go, I felt less anxious and fearful. The emotions didn’t go away completely, but I felt much calmer. I followed all of Ms. Vemula’s recommendations and I felt like everything went as smoothly as it possibly could have. Ms. Vemula has a passion for helping families and children. She answered so many texts with questions over the next few weeks, even when on vacation. Her fee is very reasonable. Her wealth of knowledge and the way she treats people with kindness and respect and is so positive, is something you cannot put a price tag on. I am so thankful that she was recommended in our situation. I feel like because we followed all of her recommendations, our case has been submitted to be closed in a timely manner. If you are ever falsely accused and have to meet with CPS, I highly recommend consulting with Ms. Vemula first, if at all possible. I have passed her information on to several counselors we are dealing with and would pass it on if I knew of anyone going through the nightmare of an investigation. Thank you a million times over, Ms. Vemula. You truly are a blessing to my family.

but she is also took a genuine interest in our case and in us as individuals. She always responded to our emails and phone calls in a timely manner, and she periodically check in with us to see how things were evolving. Her professionalism and compassion cannot be matched. We will forever be grateful to her.

I would say, don’t deal with CPS without this organization as a resource.

Color me SAFE was always there when I had questions about my case and how to get status updates on the case as my caseworker was not responding to any of my emails and calls. Thank you Color me SAFE.

I am so thankful that a friend put me in touch with Gauthami from CMS.  Thanks to her I have had confidence during the overwhelming investigation by CPS. CMS has worked hard on my case and given me and my family the help we have needed at a very difficult time.

Domestic violence is all about power and control. We see this day in and day out that our Survivors face in Daya. This is more significant when they have children. Abusers use the children as a pawn to control the Victim/Survivor. We need to educate our Survivors on issues when children are involved in a legal battle. In doing so we need that expert advice. Color me SAFE has been that "knight in shining armor" for Daya clients. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing working with Color me SAFE. We heard many Survivors who had been assisted by Color me SAFE say, "It was transformative for me as I learnt a lot which otherwise, I would not have known.

It is a privilege and honor calling Gauthami and Color Me SAFE a partner to break down the unique barriers and stigma associated with trauma and abuse in the South Asian community.

Whenever we refer Chetna clients to Gauthami and her team, they are always quick to respond to our calls and they work so efficiently with our clients. Gauthami has created an agency that serves our community in such an important way. As a South Asian therapist, I am proud to call Gauthami a friend, mentor, role model, and community partner. Thank you Gauthami for being a true trailblazer!

These services are being provided to victims mainly from the South-Asian community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Color me SAFE is a wonderful organization – a family crisis management consulting firm – serving the Greater Dallas area, led by Ms. Gauthami Vemula (Founder) and Ms. Anna Howard (Chief Executive Officer). Their mission is, “to assist families of the Greater Dallas area by offering guidance and solutions in child protection issues.” As a collective, Color me SAFE staff have over twenty-one years’ experience protecting children in the state of Texas.

We, at CHETNA, are very pleased with the partnership we have with Color me SAFE, to better serve our clients. On multiple occasions, we have referred clients of ours (involved in CPS cases – Child Protective Services ) to Color me SAFE, so that they may consult with staff there: to gain insight into what actions they might be able to take, what their rights are, what questions they may ask, and what to expect of the overall CPS investigative process.

We have found Ms. Vemula’s and Ms. Howard’s approach to consultation to be very effective and very helpful to our clients, and CHETNA, are very appreciative of their diligent assistance in guiding our clients through the CPS system. One of the clients previously helped by Ms. Vemula said that: “she was very knowledgeable, and quite nice, which really helped me to handle these things”. The client went on to say that Ms. Vemula had provided a lot of helpful guidance, and had even spoken to CPS on her behalf. The client said she was given useful tips and tools, to help her throughout her CPS investigation.

Color me SAFE staff have gone above and beyond, by visiting referred clients at their homes, and advising them in-person about Protective Orders and Family Based Safety Services. Color me SAFE staff have also written up specific, important questions – on individual, case by case basis – for referred clients to ask the CPS agent assigned to their case, in order to then determine appropriate next steps. Another CHETNA client mentioned that Ms. Vemula was: “very positive, had a positive attitude, was quite knowledgeable, listened to me and understood my situation and responded accordingly. She was very supportive, and gave me good advice.

Ms. Vemula and Ms. Howard are also prompt to answer calls from CHETNA staff, and are always ready to provide thoughtful insight and professional advice. They are warm-natured and have friendly personalities, and kind hearts: ever humble and always so dedicated and committed to the safety and well-being of their clients and their children (including CHETNA clients referred to them).

Color me SAFE has gone the extra mile to formulate a guide of screening questions for CHETNA staff to utilize, when serving clients involved with CPS. Color me SAFE is very conscious of getting involved with the community at large, and actively takes part in various other community/charitable organizations and events.

Ms. Vemula herself regularly attends and supports CHETNA’s annual, fundraising Galas. She came out earlier this year to volunteer at an event CHETNA was involved in (through the US Indian Chamber of Commerce), at the local Salvation Army shelter. It was a lovely morning, spent painting the new store the shelter had built for their residents: so they may shop for donated clothes and other household items.

All-in-all Color me SAFE, and its staff, are an invaluable asset to the Dallas community, (and to CHETNA). Ms. Vemula and Ms. Howard bring a lot of extensive experience, valuable knowledge, compassion and care to their work. We, at CHETNA, greatly revere their generous, caring attitudes, compassionate nature, and dedication to such noble work!

Gauthami at Color me SAFE was there to listen, direct me to the actual laws and rules, and gave me support and direction that helped me navigate through this horrible process.

And I am very grateful to Gauthami and Britany of Color me SAFE and give them the highest regards for the services they offer when dealing with CPS.

We were recommended to Color me SAFE by a very kind lady from the Indian Association of North Texas (IANT). I shudder to think what would have happened to my family without the invaluable guidance and support from Color me SAFE.

We were unfortunate to have our 3 months old baby taken away by CPS. With Gauthami and Britany's extensive knowledge of the protocols and working with CPS, she has helped us through a long and arduous process with professionalism, concern for our child’s best interests and has always responded quickly when I’ve needed her. It took us 6 months to get the baby back from CPS and Color me SAFE has helped us all along. Currently my child is living with my wife but Color me SAFE is a beacon that gives me a glimmer of hope that I, someday, will be reunited with my wife and my son. Although it was a long and stormy days of our lives but Gauthami and Britany have done everything possible and more to help us fight this battle. Thank you for all you have done for us and for the community. It is not possible to put a value on what you have done to help us.

I recommend her services to each one of unfortunate families to get some peace of mind and support the most precious gift--children.

It is obvious that domestic violence and child abuse is drastically increasing in the society.

Services from Gauthami and Color me SAFE  are extremely essential for the safety and well being of our children. Not only helping her own clients, she is educating the general public on many issues. Thanks a lot Gauthami and Color me SAFE team for your commitment to the community.

Their knowledge of successful navigation practices through the entangled CPS system has already given me and my daughter a voice! Color me SAFE patiently listened to my complicated CPS case during a consult.

They’ve provided me verbiage and websites to confront CPS with confidence. Late hours and long phone conversations have been given to which I am forever grateful. I’ve already passed Color me SAFE ’s contact information on to women in my mother support group as well divorcing parents encountering parent alienation. Color me SAFE is doing important needed work in parent & children’s lives. The mountain is about to be removed in my life because of Color me SAFE ’s involvement! Thank You!

My husband and I left our first meeting feeling more hopeful and with new direction and guidance.

Having the resources of good attorneys, in conjunction with Color me SAFE has made all the difference in how we’ve been moving forward. I only wish we would have consulted with Color me SAFE years ago when we began this journey, but we never knew such a group existed. Color me SAFE, truly has family and the protection of children, at the core of their mission, and they operate ethically. If you’re dealing with CPS or DFPS it’s imperative that you have someone in your corner who is familiar with the convoluted system, such as Color me SAFE. It’s made all the difference.

The day CPS worker arrived to interview me and provided a safety plan, I was in complete shock and terrified to the core as for the first time in my life I was being put through such accusations.

I was overwhelmed with fear that these allegations will make me lose my child forever. Considering, I am foreign citizen, I had no idea about CPS and it’s process. I was completely clueless as to what should be my next action plan. I was so terrified of losing my child and the shame of being accused, that I was not even able to present the facts in the right way to CPS case worker. Thankfully, Daya (NGO) recommended that I should reach out to ‘Color me SAFE ’ agency. They mentioned that they help families who are struck in such cases and ensure the child welfare. Right from day one, Color me SAFE team showed immense kindness and offered much required support while educating me about my rights and the whole process. I am so thankful to them for helping me come to terms with what the case was about, understanding each step and process with immense patience. Their consideration, expertise and constant support helped me navigate this deep dark tunnel. This helped me cooperate better with CPS case worker and present case facts efficiently. I cannot thank them enough for the patience they have shown through this process especially for responding back to my panicked queries, emails and texts even during non-working hours with utmost patience. Gauthami and Britany helped me understand the relevance of Family Based Meeting and it further helped me represent my case better. Throughout the case, this team continued to advocate for the best interests of my child. Throughout the process, they continued to check on me multiple times. I cannot thank them enough for guiding me through the darkness.

Even when the case has been ruled out and CPS investigation has been closed, Color me SAFE  continues to support me navigate this tough time in my life by conducting parenting classes. Their sessions are helping me improve my skill sets as a parent and operate more efficiently in spite of the environmental stressors. Color me SAFE  team has gone out of their way to support me and my child in trying to leave this traumatic episode behind. I would strongly recommend any other parent /family who has been in my position to please reach out to color me safe and take the required guidance.

Department of Family and Protective Services, CPS Division.

The expertise is invaluable in a system where the courts, attorneys and families involved need guidance with a process that is not always consistent or clear and with an issue that is complicated and emotional. When I need an expert in the areas of child abuse and CPS, Gauthami and Color me SAFE are my go-to resource and experts.

Since that time, she has helped me and others on multiple cases, and I have found her services not only very fairly priced but incredibly helpful. I've see how she personally gets involved with her clients and goes beyond what is required to help her clients and "fight the good fight." Not only did she exhibit trustworthiness, reliability, and skill, but she is always very kind and understanding with her clients. I would recommend her to anyone I knew going through a custody battle where CPS was involved or if they were having to deal with CPS directly. She is simply the best at what she does.

But when we spoke to the team and staff at Color Me SAFE, they just gave us such peace and confidence that all would be well.

The meetings, investigation and all we had to endure was indeed a process. However, the staff at Color Me SAFE was such strength for us. They attended the family meetings and have provided such coping and parenting strategies far past the initial consultation. We would recommend this consulting service to anyone that needs training, support, and family crisis management. You won't regret it!" 

After contacting Color Me SAFE team we got the clear picture on how to deal with a CPS agent. Color Me Safe patiently listened to our case and counseled us through the whole process on how to face the CPS and educated us on our rights.

She took an extra effort to support and guide us during non-working hours and was available anytime of the day until our case is closed successfully without any issues. We sincerely thank Gauthami and her team for helping us during those difficult situations.

styles different from the “norm” and were thus “punishing” a parent for being “too controlling” of the children, etc.

When I connected with Gauthami, I realized that she had a pretty unique background – an Asian-Indian woman well versed in the cultures of the country of her origin as well the local cultural norms, someone who had worked at CPS and has the experience to tell where a child is being “abused” and where a parent is gaming the system to try to gain legal advantage in a custody battle by making baseless allegations of “abuse” (and deliberately alienating the children from the other parent in the process) and someone who is enterprising enough to leverage this background and experience to start her own business.

I see Gauthami filling the need of educating judges and other legal personnel in the Dallas, Texas area, so that recent immigrants (especially from an Asian-Indian background) having different but just as valid cultural norms and parenting styles are treated fairly by the Family Law system – and I wish her the best in all her endeavors.

I went from shock to anger to "oh my" how do I protect my son. Fortunately, my sister told me about Color me SAFE and I made the phone call. I was relieved after the initial phone-call on what the process for our family would be with Child Protective Services.  I then met with Ms. Vemula and she provided me with all the tools I needed to make sure our family and my son were protected. It was such an eye opener that in an instant someone could make an unfounded claim and then my son, his classmates, and our family was investigated by CPS. Thank you to Color me SAFE for the help and support. You were a true blessing to our family.

Not only did she provide us with her expertise in this field, but she is also took a genuine interest in our case and in us as individuals. She always responded to our emails and phone calls in a timely manner, and she periodically check in with us to see how things were evolving. Her professionalism and compassion cannot be matched. We will forever be grateful to her.

Their expertise and knowledge allows them to navigate what is uncharted waters for most of us. Knowing that Color me SAFE (CMS) is dedicated 100% to the protection and well being of the children, and helping families through the most difficult and seemly impossible times, is what makes them a special place. When you need to count on someone but know who you can trust, trust Color me SAFE.