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Addressing the Complex Needs of Children & Families
From the University of Montana's Center for
Children, Families,
and Workforce Development
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Issue 2, February 2018
Human Trafficking in Montana
Human trafficking is a growing problem in Montana. Children, and most often girls, are being recruited and transported statewide and across state lines through coercive acts and forceful techniques. These victims are then forced into labor or, more often, sexually exploited by their pimps and men who pay for sexual relations. Pimps who victimize these girls are posting pictures and creating commercial sex ads on websites like Backpage and renting hotel rooms for paying customers in communities across Montana. For example, from October 2016 - October 2017, 2017 there were 38,950 commercial sex ads placed in Montana's seven largest cities offering paying customers sexual encounters with young women. (Billings FBI, February 12, 2018).
What factors contribute to someone becoming a victim of human trafficking? What can professionals and parents do to help these victims? This month in
The Montana Minute
we answer many of these questions by providing: 1) a podcast on human trafficking in Montana; 2) helpful resources and tip sheets; and 3) connecting you to national resources and services. Check out the links below and visit our website for more information. Check out our
YouTube channel and
ITunes station, so you can subscribe and receive instant notifications when a new training video or podcast episode is released.
The University of Montana's Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development was established in 2015 to partner with the child protection, health, educational, and judicial systems to develop and deliver educational and training resources to professionals and caregivers statewide. The Center also conducts research that focuses on solving problems that impact children and families. The Center receives support from the University of Montana, College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, and School of Social Work.
*Billings' over-representation of sex ads is largely due to its number of massage parlors, which is nearly four times higher than other Montana cities.
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This Month's Featured Podcast: Human Trafficking
In this episode, Professor Kat Werner who is a founding member and chair of Missoula's human trafficking task force defines human trafficking and its impact in Montana. Professor Werner describes human trafficking myths, how to identify and help a trafficking victim, and what Montanans can do to help prevent human trafficking in their own communities.
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Human Trafficking Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides information about human trafficking including the signs, general facts, and push/pull factors. Find out more by clicking on the link below, you can download this pdf.
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You can help by...
National Human Trafficking Hotline
1-888-373-7888, TTY: 711, Text: 233733, email: [email protected]
Look beneath the surface video
United States Department of Justice press release
Other Resources:
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Register for Grief and Loss!
Registration is now open for this informative workshop and is available in two different locations and dates. Use the following links to register;
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Article Headline
Child and Family Services ECHO
Billings Clinic and UM's Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development are partnering to bring Child and Family Services Division a unique opportunity to obtain expert knowledge, feedback and peer support in a six-month pilot of trauma-informed learning and case consultations via Project ECHO. Project ECHO, a video-based tele-mentoring platform, is utilized by Billings Clinic to reach clinicians across Montana on a variety of topics including pediatric and adult mental health, opioid use disorders, and adverse childhood experiences. Child and Family Services ECHO will focus on supporting child welfare professionals working with children who have been exposed to complex childhood trauma, including abuse and neglect. Child and Family Services ECHO will connect Montana's child welfare professionals with regional and national experts for peer support, service knowledge enhancement, case discussions and treatment planning.
Child and Family Services ECHO will begin on February 22, 2018 from 11:30 - 1 at CFSD offices.
Textink
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March Training on Visitation!
Registration is now open for this engaging workshop. Training will be held in
Miles City on the March 13, 2018
and Missoula on the 20, 2018. Use the following links to register.
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