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ACS child trafficking email box and reporting system

0:36:40

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Council Member Stevens inquires about the confidentiality and responsiveness of the ACS child trafficking email box. ACS representatives explain the system's purpose and usage statistics.

The email box was established for staff to report potential trafficking cases and receive expert consultation
In 2022, 117 cases were reported to the mailbox out of 381 total ACS cases
In 2023, 124 cases were reported to the mailbox out of 457 total cases
The system is used to inform next steps and provide appropriate services for potential trafficking victims

Ina Mendez

0:36:40

Thank you for that question.

0:36:42

The child trafficking mailbox was established so that as either through a screening or through some sort other source of information, provider staff or ACS staff can be send an email to the office of child trafficking prevention, to ensure that they get the expert consultation, information about services, and and follow-up.

0:37:03

That information, if it's shared by a case planner, is then they are given the information about next steps.

0:37:11

In 2022, we had a 117 cases reported to the mailbox.

0:37:19

Overall, in 2022, there were 381 ACS cases.

0:37:23

In 2023, there

Althea Stevens

0:37:25

were

Ina Mendez

0:37:25

a 124 cases out of a total 457.

0:37:29

So a lot of the cases are reported either through the mailbox, through our or through our database or through some other mechanism.

0:37:35

But the mailbox is a good way for people to keep share information, and so that is how the information is shared.

0:37:42

ACS is able to speak to providers, so I don't you know, regarding the confidentiality, it might not be shared, obviously, beyond the case planner, but it is used to help inform their next steps.

Althea Stevens

0:37:54

Yeah.

0:37:56

So everyone knows I worked in, in in youth development for over 20 years, and and I definitely had cases where young people it wasn't so clear to them that they were being sex trafficked.

0:38:07

Mhmm.

0:38:09

But from conversations, you're able to uncover that that's what was happening.

0:38:14

And so what trainings are you providing, staff around being able to identify, and recognize signs of sex trafficking?

0:38:25

Because sometimes, like I said, I've had a number of young people who, through conversations, they're like, what are you talking about?

0:38:31

That's my boyfriend or or he loves me.

0:38:34

And he like like, in my head, I'm like, no.

0:38:35

He's your pimp.

0:38:36

Like, that's not of what what's happening.

0:38:38

So, I just wanna know, like, how are we preparing the staff to even recognize that?

0:38:42

And so I ask that question to not only ACS, but DYCD as well.

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Training initiatives for staff and provider organizations to identify sex trafficking