The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 6 adopted a proclamation designating January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and heard nonprofit and community partners describe a ramped-up local response.

Chair read the proclamation, which cites statewide and global figures and highlights Lake Family Resource Center’s role in a local hotline and survivor services. Jessica Layton, a Lake Family Resource human trafficking advocate, told the board: “Awareness leads to action.” She said trafficking “is modern day slavery” and urged community vigilance and support.

Kara Roberts, coordinator of Lake Family Resource Center’s anti-trafficking program, told the board the local program has been operating for about six years, “we’ve trained well over 500 professionals and community members” and “we’ve served over a 150 different people” with a range of services. Roberts and other partners described outreach this month including magnets for law-enforcement patrol vehicles, coffee-sleeve awareness messages distributed through local businesses, motel-room mirror stickers listing resources, and school-based presentations.

Rotary Club representatives and local volunteers described a pilot program in which trained high school students will present to middle schoolers, and said Kelseyville’s pilot presentation will be recorded for wider use. April Leiferman, the Rotary liaison to schools, said the approach relies on peer-to-peer education because middle-school students are often more receptive to high school speakers.

Supervisors thanked advocates and partners and noted collaboration with law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and tribal partners. The proclamation urges residents to report suspicious activity to law enforcement and to support agencies helping survivors.

The proclamation was adopted and will be posted on county channels; partners said they will continue local trainings, public information campaigns and efforts to make the recorded pilot available to other districts.