DAYTON — Starting this summer, one of our local non-profits will be part of a new program to combat human trafficking.
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Daybreak helps deal with homelessness in the Miami Valley.
It operates as a shelter and provides housing services for children ages 10-17, plus young adults ages 18 to 24
“Outside of that, we really wrap around the individual. We provide workforce development opportunities, education, behavioral health support, to ensure that they can live independently in the future,” Courtney Patel, CEO of Daybreak, said.
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This summer, Daybreak will be part of a new pilot program. The first of its kind here in Ohio.
Daybreak is getting more than half a million dollars in state grant money to partner with the Dayton police for a new project.
At the state level, this will be a new partnership with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Daybreak will lead non-police responses to non-critical runaway calls for children from all kinds of living situations.
“It could be from mom and dad’s home, guardians, or also other places like group homes or residential care facilities,” Patel said.
Daybreak will use screening tools and intervention to make sure children are not running away from human trafficking situations.
“We would include Dayton Police Department in that so they can complete their investigation. But then we will provide the follow-up support to that person to ensure that they stay safe afterwards,” Patel said.
And will also use that screening work to prevent runaways from becoming victims of human trafficking.
“Unfortunately, the Dayton-area, Montgomery County, is kind of at this intersection for human trafficking just because of our location, the highways that run through here … And so, we’re really trying to provide them a safety net so that we can intercept this before it gets too far,” Patel said.
This will be a two-year pilot program involving Daybreak and DPD.
Depending on how it goes, Daybreak says, the state could expand it to other parts of Ohio.
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