Advocacy for Exploited Youth: Engagement for Mental Health Services

Training Details: Kelly Kinnish, Ph.D. is the Director of Project Intersect as well as the Clinical Director at the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. She has been with the Georgia Center since 2007 and has been actively involved in the Georgia CSEC/DMST Statewide Task Force since 2010. Dr. Kinnish has worked with maltreated and at-risk children and families for over 20 years in clinical, research, and administrative capacities and considered a national expert in CSEC. Dr. Kinnish will be presenting a half day training for advocates on engaging exploited youth. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a form of human trafficking and child sexual abuse that represents a particular challenge for professionals across multiple services settings. CSEC-identified clients often have complex mental health needs and are at very high risk for a broad range of adverse consequences and negative mental health outcomes.  In particular, CSEC clients often have long histories of multiple traumatic experiences and high rates of PTSD, complex trauma, depression, and substance use problems.  Furthermore, they often present significant engagement and retention challenges for helping professionals.  This workshop will focus on strategies specific to helping these youth engage in mental health treatment and discuss how treatment can be effective despite the complex challenges commonly faced. Participants will learn to: Define human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children. List and explain individual, familial, community, and societal risk factors and common pathways of entry to CSEC.  Identify common barriers to CSEC client and caregiver treatment engagement and utilize creative and developmentally appropriate strategies for overcoming these barriers.  Free CEUs (Approval Pending) Eligibility Requirements: Service to Commercially Sexually Exploited Children:Currently serving, or interested in serving, Commercially Sexually Exploited Children. (Priority will be given to advocates currently working with CSEC clients) and that have completed some type of CSEC Awareness training. Advocates who have not yet attended a CSEC awareness training will be provided with an online webinar to watch prior to the training.  Cost: This training is supported by funding through ND DOC and the VOCA Regionalization Grant. It is Free of Charge to participants and travel stipends are available for hotel, mileage, and the state per diem.  How You Apply: 1. Register through eventbrite 2. Receive notification of acceptance and travel stipends