Q&A
Impact of NYCD Child Tattoo Eradication Project and Credible Messengers program
0:45:09
ยท
3 min
Council Member Stevens inquires about the impact of the NYCD Child Tattoo Eradication Project and the selection, training, and support for the Credible Messengers program. ACS representatives provide information on both initiatives.
- The Tattoo Eradication Project, started in 2018, has referred 36 youth for tattoo removal services
- The project is seen as valuable in supporting the healing process for trafficking survivors
- Credible Messengers are often former foster youth with lived experience of trafficking
- These mentors receive ongoing training and support, including trauma-informed therapies
- The program uses various therapeutic approaches, including art therapy and drama, to help both mentors and mentees process their experiences
Althea Stevens
0:45:09
What has been the impact of NYCD Child Tattoo eradicate ratification project since its launch, and how many young people have benefited from the pro bono medical services to remove branding marks?
Ina Mendez
0:45:21
We're really excited to have the tattoo eradication project.
0:45:24
It started in 2018.
0:45:26
To date, 36 youth have been referred, and that is an ACS partnership with medical providers, to help remove, tattoos.
0:45:34
Because the medical services are confidential, we don't have all of the information about the outcome, but we are very pleased.
0:45:40
And we find this program valuable because it really allows, a youth to, get the medical treatment they need to get the tattoo removed, and it is part of the healing process as they continue to recover.
Althea Stevens
0:45:52
Yeah.
0:45:53
Obviously.
0:45:54
How, how are adult mentors with, lived experience trafficking, selected, trained, and supported with the Credible Messengers program?
Sabine Chery
0:46:05
A credible messenger
Rita Joseph
0:46:08
It's broke.
Sabine Chery
0:46:09
A few Oh.
UNKNOWN
0:46:10
It's all up?
Althea Stevens
0:46:10
Oh, no.
0:46:11
It's on.
Kathleen Baer
0:46:11
It's
Sabine Chery
0:46:11
on.
0:46:12
So a couple of our credible messengers are young people that we've worked with while they were in care.
0:46:18
And we need to ensure that young people it's ongoing trauma that they have to unpack and go through.
0:46:25
But we work with them closely in providing their stories and seeing where they're at for them to be the credible messengers.
0:46:34
We have had about 6 credible messengers that's worked with us throughout the time that we created the program.
0:46:42
So what was the other part of your question?
0:46:44
Because you wanted to
Althea Stevens
0:46:46
No.
0:46:46
I was just asking, like, how are they selected, trained, and supported, with this work?
Sabine Chery
0:46:51
So they receive the same trainings that our, office provides, especially the red flags, because there were these are the young people that know what the red flags are.
0:47:00
Because this they're walking in the same shoes that other young person is that they're working with.
0:47:05
So they provide that training.
0:47:06
They provide their testimony, their stories, walk with them through those stories.
0:47:10
We provide them overview of some of the policies that we have at ACS, especially the AWAC policies, and just really understanding where they're at as they share their information with a young person and helping them to go through, the training that they're in.
Althea Stevens
0:47:26
And what supports are they given?
0:47:27
I mean, because that, you know, obviously, a lot of people wanna help, but it still can be traumatic to relive that again as you're helping someone else.
0:47:35
So what supports are they given as they're going through this as well?
Sabine Chery
0:47:39
They're continuing to get their own trauma informed focused therapies.
0:47:43
So they're without disclosing too much of their personal lives, but they are still in therapy and working through their own issues as well.
0:47:51
Because this is something that's ongoing healing.
UNKNOWN
0:47:53
Mhmm.
Sabine Chery
0:47:54
So we recognize that.
0:47:55
They do round table healings with our young people when we do groups.
0:47:58
I mentioned, trauma mitigating trauma through drama.
0:48:02
So it's a lot of, like, art therapy as well as well as really acting out and helping them write out their stories to be able to act it out so that they're really seeing what's going on.
0:48:12
So those are some of the healing processes that they go through.
0:48:15
We also partner and work with day 1 on some of the things that the young people are going through Mhmm.
0:48:21
To help them as well as the credible messenger walk through those pro programs.