County Office highlights human-trafficking prevention work; board proclaims January Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Dr. Bernice Sabah told the board the county office has moved to strengthen identification and prevention of human trafficking in local schools after a June 2025 grand jury report urged better countywide coordination. "We now mandate, human trafficking training," she said, describing annual training added to COE compliance requirements and noting expanded partnerships with Rising Worldwide for survivor-informed classroom presentations.

Sabah summarized the grand jury's findings that trafficking is underreported and that local response and staff training were inconsistent. She said the COE will distribute a human-trafficking resource guide for families and educators and post classroom posters with reporting resources, including the national human-trafficking hotline and the district attorney's office for human trafficking. "The report was made available, in June 2025," she said, and staff welcomed the recommendation to tighten systems for identification, reporting, and support.

Trustees asked about reach and language access; staff said the first round of posters is for staff and that student-facing templates will be translated as part of rollout. Trustee Van Allen introduced a resolution to proclaim January 2026 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month, using wording consistent with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act; the board approved the resolution on a voice/roll call vote.