The Lake County Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation at its Jan. 6 meeting designating January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Lake County and urged the community to support local anti-trafficking efforts.

The proclamation cited global estimates of human trafficking and noted California's high rate of potential reports. Representatives from the Lake Family Resource Center described local services including a 24-hour hotline, advocacy, and accompaniment for survivors. Human-trafficking program coordinator Kara Roberts said the county program has operated for about six years, has trained "well over 500 professionals and community members" including local police and district attorney staff, and has served "over 150" individuals in county cases while delivering over 10,000 services during that period.

Kara Roberts and partners outlined local awareness campaigns for January: magnets placed on law-enforcement vehicles, coffee-sleeve outreach distributed in county coffee shops, motel-room stickers placed on mirrors and bathroom doors so guests have a resource in vulnerable locations, and school presentations in partnership with local Rotary clubs and PolyClass-trained high-school peer educators to reach middle-school students.

Jessica Layton, a human-trafficking advocate with Lake Family Resource Center, urged the board and public to learn the signs of trafficking and support survivors. Rotary leaders described planned community presentations and a pilot program in Kelseyville that trains high-school students to speak to middle-school audiences.

The board thanked the Lake Family Resource Center, Rotary clubs, and other partners; the proclamation was recognized as passed and signed (the transcript records it as adopted and signed by 2025 Chair EJ Crandall). The outreach campaign includes trainings, presentations and local awareness materials through the month.

Local events highlighted in comments include a film screening and school presentations; staff encouraged residents to consult the Lake County Land Trust and Lake Family Resource Center websites for dates, registration and resource information.