8:00 – 9:00 AM | Check-in, continental breakfast, networking
9:00 AM | Welcoming Remarks: Maine’s Governor Paul R. LePage
9:15 AM | US Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II
9:45 – 10:30 AM | Enhancing Survivor Services – The Ohio Response Model
Presenter: Samantha Hudson, The Salvation Army of Ohio
Summary: Working with survivors of Human Trafficking requires a coordinated, community response. The Salvation Army will discuss their role in a multidisciplinary response to Human Trafficking in Ohio. By providing 24 hour emergency response and direct victim services, the Salvation Army of Central Ohio is a leading provider on the DOJ Task Force grant.
10:30 AM | Morning Break
10:50 | Labor Trafficking in the U.S. – Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions
Presenter: Thérèse Couture, Polaris
Summary: What are the major types of labor trafficking in the U.S., how do they work, and what common myths about labor trafficking make it so difficult to identify and serve survivors?
11:35 AM | Being Extraordinary in the Ordinary: Global Case Studies on Seeing the Vulnerable in Everyday Life.
Presenter: Bill Legere, Founder of the Foundation for Hope & Grace and Cofounder of Not Here
12:20 PM | Lunch Dismissal w/ special guest
12:25 PM | Lunch
Law Enforcement – Prosecution
(Law Enforcement Only)
A Victim-Centered Approach to Investigation and Case Building for Successful Prosecutions
Presenter: William E. Nolan, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit
Summary: When prosecuting human trafficking cases, building a case around the victim’s story while leading a victim centered investigation is critical both to the success of the case and the long term well being of the victim. Earning trust from identified victims and connecting victims to support services to help with stabilization is an important part of building the case to prosecute the trafficker. Barriers such as trauma bonds the victim may have with their trafficker, a fear of law enforcement, language or cultural barriers, and a victim’s ability to identify themselves as a victim of a crime will be addressed.
Education – Prevention
Presenter: Scott Santoro, US Department of Homeland Security, Blue Campaign
Summary: Scott Santoro is the Sr. Training Advisor to the Blue Campaign, the US Department of Homeland Security’s concerted effort to combat human trafficking. This presentation will focus on the training and awareness products of the campaign, how victims are often invisible to us, and how partnerships and public awareness are leading to more cases being identified. Attention will be focused on labor trafficking and how the Blue Campaign can assist local efforts.
Healthcare/Social Services – Partnerships
A Community Problem: The Heroin Epidemic and Connection with Human Trafficking
Presenter: Pat Kimball, Wellspring
Summary: The number of people who died in Maine from heroin jumped from 7 in 2011, to 28 in 2012 then to 34 in 2013 and 57 in 2014. We are in the middle of a public health epidemic and we need to provide quality treatment for those who seek services. The focus of this session will be to discuss how we got here and what kind of treatment is available for those in need of treatment for Opiate Addiction. We will also discuss the unique needs of individuals entering treatment and the connection with Human Trafficking.
Faith/Community – Partnerships
Love Your Neighbor: Ministry to Human Trafficking Victims in Our Community
Presenter: Jenny Clark, Anti-Trafficking Ministries Coordinator for The Salvation Army in Portland, Maine
Summary: The Well is a faith-based, collaborative ministry between The Salvation Army and dee Clarke, founder of Survivor Speak, that seeks to meet the social and emotional needs of victims of human trafficking in Portland, Maine. The Well has had great success in individual lives over the past three years. Jenny Clark will share the history, successes, and challenges of this ministry and provide advice and encouragement for those who wish to support human trafficking victims in their communities.
2:15 PM | Afternoon Break
Law Enforcement – Prosecution
(Law Enforcement Only)
How to Conduct a Backpage Investigation
Presenters: Special Agent Dave Pawson, HSI Portland, Maine, HSI Human Trafficking Task Force & Officer Mark Keller, Portland Police Department, HSI Human Trafficking Task Force
Summary: An overview of investigative methodologies combatting traffickers exploiting Backpage.com type websites, legal processes such as subpoenas, search warrants, and operational best practices from a Maine law enforcement perspective.
Advocacy – Protection
“Inside Out; experiences from within the trafficking world and reflections from the outside. Identifying strategies to build effective relationships of those being exploited.”
Presenter: Dee Clarke, Founder of Survivor Speak
Summary: Dee will share her experiences as a survivor of trafficking as well as her relationships with those she met who were also being trafficked. She will also address those whom she has interacted with since leaving the life. Some of these survivors Dee met through outreach on the streets of Portland and at a local teen center. More often however, Dee has been introduced to victims who were discovered by law enforcement and then referred to her. Additionally, Dee will address the experience of being discovered by law enforcement and how this relationship confronts barriers and how we can identify successful strategies in those relationships. Finally, Dee will discuss how community can be an integral part of the solution and the importance of inspiring a call to action.
Education – Prevention
Prevention Strategies – Internet Safety & Online Threats
Presenter: Scott Santoro, US Department of Homeland Security, Blue Campaign
Summary: During this session, Scott Santoro will provide information how traffickers are using the internet and social media to recruit and coerce young girls into sex trafficking. Further, this presentation will provide tools for school administrators and share existing Blue Campaign resources.
Healthcare/Social Services – Partnerships
Health Indicators & Challenges to Recognizing Victims
Presenters: Ken Albert, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Bill Legere, Central Maine Medical Center; Polly Campbell, Director, SAFE Program at State of Maine
Summary: Screening, assessment, and intervention with patients in the healthcare setting
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM | Session 3 Breakouts (Choose 1)
Law Enforcement – Prosecution
(Law Enforcement Only)
Child Sex Dens, Locating, Raiding, and Rescuing, A Case Study
Presenter: Special Agent Martin Conley, HSI Portland, Maine
Summary: Special Agent Conley advances the cybercrime discussion with a Maine-based case study detailing investigative techniques which led to the identification of child sex dens in the Philippines. HSI Portland agents identified children as young as two years old being sexually molested and trafficked daily for paying customers worldwide. Through undercover online communications, agents were able to discover, and ultimately infiltrate a closely protected community of offenders and communicate with the main target(s) over a period of several months. Special Agent Conley will discuss his collaborative efforts with international law enforcement agencies and the strategies implemented, to include innovative real-time international surveillance operations, which led to the arrest of the main targets in the Philippines, the rescue of the children under their control, and the arrest of co-conspirators in Australia.
Advocacy – Protection
Missing Children, State Care, and Child Sex Trafficking
Presenter: Farryl Sverd, Senior Case Manager, Missing Children’s Division; NCMEC
Summary: The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families act now requires child welfare to report children missing from care first to law enforcement and next to NCMEC. Learn how NCMEC can play a role in supporting child welfare/social workers in their responsibility to report children missing from care.
Education – Prevention
Understanding and Working with Human Trafficking Victims in Maine
Presenter: Katie Kondrat, MECASA
Summary: In an effort to create consistent understanding of trafficking in Maine, as well as shared trafficking response, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) has teamed up with the Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Coalition and members of the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Provider Council to create a statewide trafficking awareness and response training. Katie Kondrat, Program Coordinator at MECASA, will offer a condensed version of that statewide training. Participants will gain an increased understanding of trafficking indicators and response in Maine, as well as how to access more training opportunities using the statewide anti-trafficking training program.
Faith/Community – Partnerships
A Coordinated Community Approach: Hope Rising Partnerships
Presenters: Carey Nason, LCSW, LADC; Program Director of Hope Rising; Jessica Taylor, RN, St. Joseph Healthcare Internal Medicine
Summary: Hope Rising opened a residential treatment home earlier this year for women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation. St. Joseph Healthcare has partnered with Hope Rising to help provide healthcare services for its residents. In this session, the partnership between St. Joseph Healthcare and Hope Rising will be shared as well as the collaborative approach Hope Rising utilizes in working with community resources to help residents address their needs and build greater support systems.
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Open Networking Social
Cash bar, Hors d’oeuvres provided
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Continental breakfast
8:30 AM | Welcome Back Message
8:35 AM | Survivor Perspective: Moninda Marube – Trafficking of Elite Athletes
9:00 AM | The Ohio Model
Elizabeth Ranade-Janis, Governor Kasich’s Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator for the state of Ohio on behalf of Governor Kasich & the Ohio Task Force Team, (by video)
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM | Maine’s Human Trafficking Needs Assessment Report
Presenter: Jennifer Battis, Hornby Zeller
10:30 AM | Morning Break
10:45 AM | Facilitated Group Discussion
Lead facilitator: Dr. Sheena Bunnell
11:55 AM | Attorney General Janet Mills
Maine’s Call to Action
Dismissal of Conference Attendees (to depart after lunch)
12:15 PM | Lunch in Pavilion