System of Care Academy: Building Capacity to Improve Prevention and Response to Human Trafficking in Kentucky

Human trafficking is not a new issue in the Commonwealth. Many people, including children and youth, are being exploited for commercial sex and labor in our communities every day. As a result of many years of advocacy and good work in Kentucky by individuals across sectors, we now have access to local data that can help us to understand more about human trafficking in Kentucky and how we can build our capacity to improve prevention, identification, and response to trafficking. We will share data from the 2024 Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Data Report, including a discussion of the 10 recommendations in the report based on analysis of the data. The data from the report and its recommendations help us to self-assess and continue to move forward, increasing the impact of anti-human trafficking efforts in Kentucky. Please join us as we discuss sex and labor trafficking in Kentucky and how we can more effectively support local anti-trafficking efforts!

Each year, SOC Academy serves a diverse audience that includes advocates, clinicians, case managers, prevention specialists, peer support specialists, educators, faith-based leaders, psychologists/psychiatrists, child care providers, Family Resource & Youth Services Center staff, juvenile justice staff, family and juvenile services staff, community-based services staff, child welfare staff, public health staff, families and youth with lived experience, interested community members, and more. Last year SOC Academy was offered as a learning series, and it hosted 1438 attendees representing 32 states.

The Academy is convened by Kentucky’s Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health America of Kentucky.

Continuing education units will be available, pending board approvals, and the website will be updated as approved. American Sign Language (ASL Interpreters) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available upon request.