Good morning everyone and welcome. Be sure to share you name, title and county in the chat box. We are looking forward to starting a little after 10 am :)

Melissa Gomez, PACT Project Director, Monterey County

Teresa Ewing San Joaquin county

Estefania Vu, HT Advocate with Community Solutions, Santa Clara County

Kathleen Ramos, CSEC Coordinator, Santa Barbara County DSS CWS

Crisia Santacruz, Victim Service Coordinator, Los Angeles County

Good Morning

title is Behavioral Health Clinician II

Hi I am Jessica Pittman, Regional Coordinator for Central Valley for PACT, and Founder/Associate Director of Central Valley

Lourdes Dominguez, Case Manager for Orangewood Foundation: Project CHOICE (CSEC Drop-in) Orange County, CA

Rachel Challacomb - School Counselor - San Bernardino County

Linda Garcia - Office Assistant for the READY Program (dealing with CSEC) County of Ventura Children and Family Services

Kris Cahill - Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force Volunteer

https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/wp-content/uploads/HANDOUT-2-Ginas-Story.pdf

I cannot pull up the story

yes

I can't pull it up.

done

After facing all the events of my past, going through my recovery and receivingcounseling I found truth, hope and healing. On my journey there will always besmall victories as well as bumps in the road. Thankfully for the tools I have as wellas support that surrounds me I am able to overcome. I will share two experienceswith you, one positive with work and one negative with school as a survivor ofhuman trafficking.1 - My positive experience with my employer. During my healing I was asked towork with the New Jersey Coalition against Human Trafficking as their Consultant,Advocate and Survivor Speaker.It’s been an incredible and fulfilling experience working with Amazing individualsand organizations. Within our Coalition there are 182 organizations under ourumbrella. It’s so surreal that my voice is finally being heard.

I represent countless survivors and communities as I provide them with valuablefeedback to help them be more survivor informed. I have met many othersurvivors along the way who I mentor and support which has also allowed theirvoices to be heard. It’s different in a positive way being treated with respect anddignity knowing you matter and are making a difference to educate and bringprevention and awareness.I educate and share my testimony to hospitals, schools, law enforcement andchurches as well as testify before state legislators and senators. The impact thishas personally made in my life has been a huge blessing. To think I lived a lifetimeshackled in fear, shame and guilt by what others made me believe was real and toknow it was all a lie is an incredible feeling of freedom.

Seeing how I am received, respected and empowered gives me hope not just formyself but for other survivors as well as those still victims. For so long my voicewas silenced, I didn’t matter, I wasn’t believed, I wasn’t seen nor did I matter butwith the NJCAHT that has changed.

2 - A negative experience with school. Earlier I spoke about victories as well asbumps in the road. This experience was more than a bump in the road since it was

done :)

a trigger and having PTSD that didn’t help, I had to work hard to get through thisset back I’m about to share…Growing up school was always a struggle for me but later in life after goingthrough counseling and putting the pieces of my life together it made sense to mewhy I struggled in school. I was not only being abused at home but I had specialneeds that were never recognized and/or addressed which caused me toconstantly fail in school.Moving forward through my healing it was placed on my heart to work with kids. Ifelt because of my past I could make a difference in the lives of kids in a positiveway. So I applied to CASA (Court appointed special advocate)

This was a process since there was a lot of paperwork to complete as well as aninterview that lasted over 2 hours, along with providing references andbackground checks. During my 2 hour interview I was completely transparentabout my past, including arrest, etc.I received a letter that I was accepted to their program and a date to beginclasses. I’m not sure why it took so long but about halfway through completingthe course I received a phone call one evening this past February. I was actuallydoing homework at the time of the call. It was the director of the program. Shetold me that I couldn’t return to class because they received my fingerprints back(rather late) with convictions.I was shocked, devastated and filled with shame, along with many feelings ofnegativity of myself without even knowing the facts.

I tried keeping my emotions in tact to get information as I preceded to say “theremust be a mistake” please provide me with information. She said it wasconfidential. Now in addition with multitude feelings generating within me, I wasalso angry that they couldn’t provide any further details other then I couldn’treturn to school nor could I know why.I said “IF” this is true I will be back, I will fight this, I will get this vacated. She saideven if you do you can’t come back. I said why? She said because you lied on your

application! She said on the application the question was if you had anyconvictions and you answered no. I said why would I answer yes if I didn’t know Ihad any convictions? We hung up and the feelings that I was left to deal withwere overwhelming to say the least.I went out, I didn’t even tell my husband at the time what I was feeling because Iwas consumed with shock, shame, and that I failed- I felt so thrown back into thepast that I worked so hard moving past. I went for a drink sinking quickly intodepression and negative thoughts of not moving forward with my life. I felt all Iworked towards brought me back to those feelings of not feeling worthy. Yes Iwas feeling sorry for myself, why bother, why go on and wanted to numb thepain.

Thankfully since my faith is strong I snap out of this hole I was digging for myselfand decided to face this new event of my past as painful as it was, I pushed myselfforward through the tools of what I learned. I reached out to my counselor, mymentor, friends and family and with the support I had, I was able to securelegal assistance.Since then, my prints had to be retaken, working with an attorney anddepositions and my motion has already been submitted to the courts. I amwaiting for their decision vacating my conviction I had no knowledge of having.Since school was always a struggle for me constantly failing and always having totry harder going back to school gave me an opportunity to build my confidenceknowing I can do this. I took my homework serious and did everything that wasexpected. And I knew at the end of it, I could be the difference for others,especially children. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Even though I am fightingthis and it’s been a painful journey there are also rewards i

done

done

Background check

The lady that called her wasn't helpful seemed maybe like she was rude

being told she was accepted and later getting abrupt, different information with no explanation can for sure be re-traumatizing.

A lack of resources

not knowing she had a conviction?

immigration status, generation gaps,

charges on records that exist across multiple states

cultural beliefs

Language

lack of support systems

victim mentality

"Others" may have a negative narrative about CSEC

Care Providers unwillingness to provide ongoing stability and support.

I work with incarcerated adult women. One of the biggest obstacles facing the pop. I serve is lack of resources and support systems, as well as challenges within criminal justice system.

They aren't always trauma informed or understand the challenges working with survivors of trafficking

The time it takes to establish trust and relationships,

Executive buy-in when it comes to MOUs with other programs

more difficulty finding legitimate employment for individuals with felony convictions

Survivor voice

Not knowing what resources are out there

Bureaucracy

Wanting to be sure we make a good match for our clients so we don't set them up for failure and disappointment.

access, availability in the area we serve

Agree - set up survivors for success by doing your due diligence with research and knowledge of the programs.

I would add, find out specifically what might happen if they don't show up for class / training / work, what is that process like?

sarah.johnston@cfpic.org

Can we please get the panelists' contact information?

Thank you, Amalia

Yes. We will share on the follow up email, and all the panelists please type your contact info in the chat

I saw a question about persons that nay not be US residents. If they have obtained a visa as a victim of trafficking (T non-immigrant status) then they can be served by the WIOA system since they now have he legal right to work. Males 18 and older still have to register with Selective Service as it is a federal requirement

Hi all, my contact info is rdelrossi@futureswithoutviolence.org

Hello everyone, my contact information is Amalia Martinez , Fresno EOC Valley Apprenticeship Connections 1900 Mariposa St. Ste. 350 Fresno CA 93721, Main Office 559-263-1110 my office number is 559-263-1132, Amalia.martinez@fresnoeoc.org

Thanks Rebecca

Thanks Amalia

I am Patrick Turner, Fresno EOC Training and Employment Services- 559-263-1107 and my email is patrick.turner@fresnoeoc.org. I can try to link you to your local workforce provider

Sarah Johnston Fresno EOC Consultant (Former Fresno EOC Central Valley Against Human Trafficking Program Manager), CFPIC PACT Project Associate sarah.johnston@cfpic.org (805)801-1700

Thank you so much such a great presentation! Thank you to all the panelists.

Thank you!

Thanks everyone

Thank you all for letting tell our story

Very informative and will follow up with resources

Thanks all for your thoughtfulness and engagement, couldn't happen without you!!

thank you all very much, thank you for your offer to follow up with resources- grateful for your work!

Thank you :)

Thank you great information I can bring to our county.

So cute

I’ve got to log off, Thank you everyone please feel free to reach out to me.