Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative

🚨 New Publication Alert! 🚨

We are proud to share that our very own Dr. Nadine Finigan-Carr, Amelia Rubenstein, and Neil Mallon have published an article in a special issue of the Child Welfare journal.

"Understanding the Characteristics of Child Victims of Trafficking in Child Welfare and Developing an Innovative Approach for Screening Youth at Risk," analyzes over 1,200 child maltreatment reports of s*x trafficking among Maryland youth. The team also proposes a new, innovative screening tool to identify young people at risk of trafficking within the child welfare system.

This is an important step forward in improving the safety and care of vulnerable youth. Read more about their impactful findings in this special issue of Child Welfare.

Congratulations to the entire team for this critical contribution to child welfare research!

Nadine M. Finigan-Carr, Amelia Rubenstein, Neil Mallon, Wana Jin, and Terry Shaw - The Elm UMSSW Faculty and Staff Publish Article on Intersection of Human Trafficking and Child Welfare.

Join us for a meaningful event to raise awareness about human trafficking!

The University of Maryland School of Social Work and the Center for Violence Prevention UMB invite you to participate in the Red Sand Project on January 27, from 12-2 PM, at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL). This interactive event aims to show solidarity with survivors of human trafficking and spark conversation around the vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation.

📍 Location: The Health Sciences and Human Services Library
🗓 Date: January 27
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Come connect with your community to help spread awareness and create change. Everyone is welcome!

📢 Attention Mental Health Professionals! 📢

Join our Human Trafficking Training Series – a 3-part course designed to equip you with essential knowledge and skills to support survivors of trafficking.

In this series, you’ll learn: ✅ What defines human trafficking ✅ How to identify trafficked individuals ✅ How to provide specialized, trauma-informed clinical care

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your practice and make a real difference in the lives of those impacted by trafficking.

Register NOW: https://bit.ly/2025HTTrainingSeries

🎉 Exciting update! The Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative (PARI) at the University of Maryland School of Social Work was awarded the competitive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls prize.

This funding supports the Regional Navigator Network project, aiming to establish Human Trafficking Navigators across Maryland to provide essential, trauma-informed support to victims up to age 24.

UMSSW’s Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative Awarded Innovation Grant to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls - The Elm The Elm is a publication of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

📅 Mark your calendars! The Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hosting an in-person screening of Aftershock on October 24th, from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society.

Following the film, engage in a vital discussion on maternal mortality, racism in healthcare, and intimate partner violence with Dr. S. Michelle Ogunwole and other experts. Plus, enjoy popcorn, wine, and cocktails! 🍷✨

Register today!

We are excited to share that registration for the Coalition's Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Film Screening is live! In partnership with the Center for a Healthy Maryland, the Coalition will be showing the documentary, "Aftershock," followed by a panel discussion on the high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity for Black Women in the US, racism within the healthcare system, and the link to intimate partner violence.

The event will be held in-person this year, for the first time in five years, at MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society.

Scan the QR code or head to our website to get your ticket: https://healthanddv.org/domestic-violence-awareness-screening-of-aftershock/

Do you know someone interested in pursuing a career in the dental field? Planet Smilez Discovering Dentistry Symposium is hosting a full-day immersive experience, where you can gain hands-on dental practice experience and explore the many facets of a dental career, from clinical practice to research and education. Deepen your knowledge and have fun with others learning about the impact you can make in dentistry!

To register, please use the QR code in the attachment or visit, https://form.jotform.com/240606241526146.

Join us at the 2024 Maryland Child Trafficking Conference for an experience filled with insightful sessions and networking opportunities.

👇 Secure your spot today!
https://bit.ly/MDChildTraffickingConference2024

Did you know, the T Visa creates some of the strongest protections for survivors of ? More needs to be done to ensure survivors are able to access these critical benefits.

NEW DATA: https://x.com/HTLegalCenter/status/1772002605885010105?s=20

📣📣 Save the Date!📣📣

Join us for the 7th Annual Maryland Child Trafficking Conference on June 27, 2024, at Towson University.

Its going to be an incredible opportunity to hear from expert speakers, gain new knowledge and insight about child trafficking and network with professionals from across the state. Stay tuned for more details and official announcements!

Join us next Thursday for an exploration of frequently used human trafficking data and discussion on the accuracy of prevailing statistics surrounding s*x and labor trafficking. Gain insights into the challenges of data collection and discover how accurate statistics are crucial for effective anti-trafficking efforts.

This webinar is hosted by the Human Trafficking Prevention Project in partnership with the Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative at University of Maryland School of Social Work and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.

Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding about data-driven and evidence-based practice in the anti-trafficking field. Register TODAY at https://bit.ly/htpp_webinar

Have you submitted your proposal for the 2024 Maryland Child Trafficking Conference?

We are seeking workshop and poster proposals that address the intricate complexities and vulnerabilities that contribute to child trafficking as well as innovative responses to this crime. We are looking for topics exploring how various factors such as homelessness, substance abuse, migration, or LGBTQ+ identity intersect and increase the risk of trafficking.

Share your expertise-- submit your proposal(s) TODAY at https://bit.ly/MDTraffick2024.

We are excited to partner with The University of Maryland, Baltimore Center for Violence Prevention to present “Hidden Realities”. This webinar is an opportunity to ask questions, learn actionable steps to combat human trafficking in your community and to increase your awareness.

Mark your calendars now -- tune into Instagram LIVE next Monday, January 22nd at 2pm.

We can’t wait to see everyone there!

Become an advocate for change! 🌎 ✨ “Hidden Realities”, hosted by The University of Maryland, Baltimore Center for Violence Prevention and the Prevention of Adolescent Risk Initiative, is your opportunity to gain insights into combatting human trafficking. Let’s empower ourselves to create a safer world.

Click the link in our bio to set your reminder - don’t miss out on this critical conversation!