+Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to Address the Needs of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children

April 12, 2013

Presentation to County Welfare Directors Association of California Board of Directors

Panelists: Alameda County Social Services Agency and Probation, and the National Center for Youth Law

+Characteristics of CSEC

Children/youth at-risk for recruitment Under 18 Often from unstable/challenged home

environments Often have previous history of sexual abuse,

neglect Lack of positive relationships Often live in communities disproportionally

impacted by poverty, violence and where the sex trade may be prevalent.

+Unique Characteristics of CSEC

Youth are being actively pursued/engaged with person(s) with criminal intent

Stockholm Syndrome, trauma bonding (DV like)

Stigma of the “prostitution” label—added onto all the other stigmas a foster youth may experience

+Special Risk Factors for Youth in Foster Care Previous history of abuse, neglect;

Lacking in basic support systems, basic needs;

Often come from communities impacted by both poverty and violence—and where exploitation may be prevalent.

May leave placements and find themselves homeless;

May suffer from trauma related mental health issues;

Exploiters target the above vulnerabilities!

+Other vulnerabilities for immigrant populations• Parents have PTSD issues from surviving genocide,

bombings and war (--which impacts the youth)• Intergenerational gap / intercultural gape between

American born children and parents / older family members.

• Living significantly below the poverty level and exposed to high levels of neighborhood violence.

• Lack of education around exploitation, understanding of abuse

• Lack of information related to victim’s services.• Fear of authoritarian figures and law enforcement—• “Under the radar” and not generally engaged with

the systemInformation excerpted from “Medical Case Studies of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children”, Kimberly Chang, MD Asian

Health Services & Elizabeth Sy,

Banteay Srei—presented Nov 30, 2009,Oakland, CA. Note: While the presentation dealt with specifically Southeast Asian youth, it is evident that youth with other immigrant backgrounds and cultural family histories experience similar vulnerabilities.

©Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS)

+Intersection of CSEC with Child Welfare 90% Percent of CSEC have previous history of child

abuse and neglect

Youth who experience sexual abuse are 28 times more likely to be exploited than their non-abused counterparts

50-85% have history with the child welfare system prior to exploitation LA County STAR Court

72 Cases, 56 Child Welfare involvement ranging from report to dependency jurisdiction

Oakland, Two CSEC provider organizations serving 200 youth 53% of youth reported living in group homes

+Alameda County: Effort related to CSEC

Interagency task force launched in May, 2002.

Intensive effort to raise awareness through out the Systems and Community; network of community and systems partners established.

Launched “on the ground” CSEC specific community based/system-linked services (i.e. outreach, crisis response, advocacy, case management, clinical case management & case review.)

Identification of CSEC at key interface points (SSA, Probation); piloted “practice based” responses/procedures in Juvenile Justice Center, the Assessment Center and AHS Teen Clinic.

Research efforts initiated by community partners.

Leveraged funds (public and private) for all of the above.

+Evolution of SSA’s Involvement

Leadership endorsement of effort (2003)

Engaging with SEM Network partners, active in awareness raising events

(2004-06)

CSEC component instituted as part of new CWW Class Trainings (2006-

13)

Education and Service Information made available to

Placement & Caregivers (2006)

MISSSEY services interface with AC; on-site program piloted (2007-08)

AC MISSSEY Advocate Program formally integrated into AC

(2009)

Participation in weekly Safety Net case review meetings (2011)

Finalizing CSEC Policy Statement (2012)

Curriculum based trainings, special presentations and

“Brown Bags” made available(2009-13)

Participation on CWW Council CSEC Work

Group (2012)

WCC collects first CSEC related data at the Assessment Center

(2006)

+Current Landscape

•MISSSEY•WCC•Youth Radio•AHS•CALICO•DreamCatcher•Covenant House•Girls Inc.

•MISSSEY•WCC•BAWAR•CALICO•DreamCatcher •AHS•SAGE

•AC SSA•ACProbation

•WCC•MISSSEY•AHS•NCYL•SAGE•AC DA•AC SSA

•Juvenile Court

•AC Probation

•HEATWatch•Safety Net•MISSSEY, BAWAR, WCC Case Mgt Mtg•SEM Network & SAGE

•AC DA

•AC SSA

• WCC“Research to Action: SEM Needs and Strengths”(2012)

+ SSA Education & Training

CSEC topic added to CWW “new class” training;

Trainings, special presentations made available upon request to Department/Units (tailored to their needs, questions);

On-going quarterly “general” trainings available for DCFS Staff

Monthly informal “Brown Bags” for one-on-one technical assistance and information sharing

Participation of SSA staff in Human Trafficking conferences, workshops, SEM Awareness Week activities

+CSEC Specific and Informed Services (at the Assessment Center)

CSEC Youth Advocate Program (MISSSEY)

CSEC specific services include education sessions for CSEC and youth at “high risk” of being victimized; contact with primary CWW & Placement CWW Staff; 30-60-90 day follow-up post placement; training & outreach to group homes/caregivers.

STAT & Project AWOL (Westcoast Children’s Clinic)

STAT provides on-site stabilization/therapeutic services to all children /youth; staff trained to respond/support CSEC by the WCC “C-Change Program” and by MISSSEY Inc.

Project AWOL seeks to re-engage high risk youth—CSEC interventions include referrals to C-Change Program and psychotherapeutic services.

+Policy Statement

“Alameda County Social Services Agency (AC SSA) recognizes that children in foster care exhibit numerous risk factors that increase the potential of being targeted by exploiters and victimized through Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE), also known as Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. Therefore, AC SSA Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is committed to providing trauma informed practices and responses to:

1) Increase protective factors for children in foster care to prevent CSE;

2) Provide identified victims of CSE/DMST with a trauma informed service response by providing on-going education to SSA staff and caregivers to increase their ability to successfully engage and assist foster youth impacted by CSE.”

(DCSF / Working Draft, 2012-13)

+Alameda County Probation : Girls in Focus

“ (Our goal) is to provide girls involved in the Juvenile Justice System with the absolute best gender responsive services possible both in detention and upon release …our over arching goal is the stabilization of girls in detention to increase their chances of success when they leave the Juvenile Justice Center”

( Gender Responsive Programs Committee 2005-2008)

+Probation

(2005-08) Gender Responsive Programs Committee (GRPC) Focused on high-risk girls and connecting them with programming in detention; (Juvenile Hall Staff, CSEC Providers and Girls from the units participated.)

(2009-2013) Gender Responsive Task Force (GRTF) Policy/protocol oriented; working to complete MOU that includes : Juvenile Court, DA, PD, BHCS, SSA, CHO and CBO providers involved in detention linked CSEC / At-Risk services.

+Probation, continued

(2006) CSEC response introduced to Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) / Juvenile Hall;

identified CSEC were referred for in-detention victim advocacy (BAWAR) services when admitted to

detention (within 48 hrs); Introduction to additional “post detention” service made for case management and clinical therapeutic services (WCC and MISSSEY)—as well as on-going stabilization support, as needed.

+Probation continued

(2008) “Sexually Exploited Minor” (SEM) designation added to the intake risk assessment tool implemented when youth are brought to Juvenile Hall—SEM category that was added created an “override option” that allowed identified youth to be detained—creating a—48 window (before hearing) for potential service linkage to be made.

(2009-10) JJC Transition Center established (cross-

system partnership of HCSA and other system partners ). Referrals to a menu of after-detention resources, including CSEC specific services.

“The Transition and Releasing Center is a one-stop resource center providing warm hand-offs to JJC youth returning to the community. Our mission is to help youth successfully transition from detention to stable and supportive home and school communities. Our goal is to prevent recidivism through providing youth and their families with the necessary assistance and resources to encourage a smooth transition and success in life.” ( AC JJC Transition Center Website)

+Probation, cont’d

(2011) Formally joined Safety Net table . CSEC and high risk youth case review (partnering with DA, PD, SSA, MISSSEY, WCC, BAWAR)

(2010-Current) A new “camp” in development; will include a “girls” pod that will be providing trauma informed, gender responsive services.

Partnership with MISSSEY in“Lasting Links” transformative mentorship model ; seeks to provide both in-custody groups to victims of CSEC and girls of very high risk of victimization—as well as the opportunity of being matched to a rigorously trained mentor.

Engaged in cross-systems collaboration with SSA related to serving “cross-over youth”—CSE issue part of the on-going dialogue to address this population of highly victimized youth.

It’s all about collaboration!

+“Ending CSEC: A Call For Multi-System Collaboration in California” Report released to Child Welfare Council

Council votes on recommendations June 5th quarterly meeting Highlights

Prevalence of the problem, connection to child welfare system, issues related to identification, promising prevention and intervention strategies, legislative approaches, and recommendations

Jurisdictions in which child welfare agency has taken the lead in addressing the growing problem of CSEC

Key Recommendations Overarching state body to monitor and oversee implementation of

recommendations – CSEC Action Committee PLACEMENT: continuum of placements – meet youth where they

are IDENTIFCATION: systematically screen - avoid falling through

cracks TRAINING: education and awareness – speak the same language DATA: collect and share – understand scope and needs of victims

+Promising Child Welfare Led EffortsOREGON

Statutory change facilitated DHS’s change to the screening policy for CPS assessments to create children safe when perpetrator is a third-party

Screening policy now requires a CPS assessment when: 1) a report “constitutes a report a child abuse,” AND 2) “the alleged perpetrator may have access to the alleged child victim,” AND 3) “the parent or caregiver may not be able or willing to protect the child.” Child

Welfare Policy. I-AB.2, Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 413-015-0200 thru 0225

DHS manual on how to assess sexual abuse cases – specifically CSEC – factors to consider, identifying, engaging youth, safety planning, etc.

Specific response was layered on existing programs--Multnomah now has a CSEC unit, with 5.5 FTE in protective services. Typically 60-70 cases open within the unit at any given time – no longer arrest

Placements: open, staff secure, locked, psychiatric holds, RFPs for providers include requirements on CSEC

+FLORIDA Passed legislation requiring specialized intakes and

investigations for Human Trafficking within child welfare Intakes

Child abuse hotline must generate an intake for all HT allegations Outlines protocol for allegations against :

Parent or Guardian or Third Party - varies whether the P/G is associated with an “institutional entity” (group home, foster care, etc.)

Investigations Once HT suspected, multi-disciplinary team (MDT) formed– CBOs lead

agency, legal, refugee services (if international victim), identify those already in dependency system, protocols for involving law enforcement

Placements additional security requirements and agreements w/ local law

enforcement, trauma-informed, safeguards against recruiting Partner Requirements (sub-contracts):

design and deliver specialized services for confirmed victims of HT residing w/in foster care, trauma-informed, resiliency, PYD, substance abuse

+CONNECTICUT Developed human trafficking practice guidelines

Every youth screened for HT – even if third-party perpetrator Discretion over report to registry Physical & mental health assessments, emergency room, human trafficking

liaisons and specific HT teams

Extensive training to better identify, support, and serve

Once identified, case is referred to specialized human trafficking team

Has been an incredibly flexible and fluid process designed to meet youth’s needs

Placements: emergency beds, congregate care, training some foster parents – pay higher care rate

ILLINOIS

+ Key Components in an Effective CSEC Serving System

Screening, and identifying victims

Education and Awareness - all agencies use the same language

Safety planning for youth, families and the staff serving them

Collaboration across the multiple child-serving systems and agencies, including CBOs, FBOs, etc.

Tracking, collecting, and sharing data

Trauma-informed system of care

Appropriate placements trained to serve CSEC

Trust and Relationship building to improve service provision

Culturally competent and appropriate services

Survivor involvement in designing and implementing programming for CSEC

+Panelists

Barbara Loza-Muriera, Program Specialist, Alameda County DCFS

Paulynne Jones, Director Juvenile Field Services, Alameda County Probation

Kate Walker, Attorney & Equal Justice Works Fellow, National Center for Youth Law