California and Federal policy require child welfare agencies to identify youth who are at-risk of or experiencing commercial sexual exploitation. Since 2014, California has funded counties that opt into the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, CSEC Program in Child Welfare, and the Department of Social Services provides guidance on effective services. This panel will summarize national recommendations and evidence-informed identification, prevention, and intervention strategies, followed by a summary of the SB 855 evaluation plan and preliminary findings. A county representative will then discuss their implementation of the CSEC Program in Child Welfare, including their implementation of an evidence-based screening tool.

• Hannah Haley – WestCoast Children’s Clinic Project Director, Anti-Trafficking Initiatives

• Patricia Hernández, J.D. – Management Analyst Management Analyst