Huckleberry’s Director of Programs & Community Development, Mollie Brown, (second from left) at City Hall for the release of the SF Mayor’s Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking Report.

The SF Mayor’s Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking, comprised of 18 public and nonprofit organizations, recently released its 3rd Human Trafficking in San Francisco Report. Huckleberry’s Director of Programs & Community Development, Mollie Brown, spoke at City Hall on April 5, about the 24-hour crisis intervention and case management services provided by the Huckleberry Advocacy & Response Team (HA&RT)

HA&RT in collaboration with Child Protective Services (CPS), SFPD, the District Attorney, and the Probation Department, provides immediate, trauma-informed 24-hour crisis intervention and case management services to commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) or youth happens when a person buys, trades, or sells sexual acts with a person under the age of 18. The report found there were 114 unduplicated cases of youth categorized as “at risk”, “suspected”, or “known” for commercial, sexual exploitation.

Through this collaboration and community-based support system, CSEC youth receive emergency shelter, psycho-social assessment, individual, group and family counseling, primary and reproductive care, assistance with securing emergency financial assistance, safety planning, and ongoing engagement to facilitate a transition into a stable living situation. Huckleberry conducts trainings for the School District, Police Department, Juvenile Probation, Child Protective Services, and nonprofit providers to help them identify human trafficking, understand reporting procedures, connect youth with resources, and deliver trauma-informed care services.