New grant funding will provide a coordinator to the multidisciplinary task force tackling the problem of human trafficking in Central Oregon. The money comes from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund, into which fines, penalty assessments, and bond forfeitures collected from convicted federal offenders are deposited. Taxpayers do not fund VOCA grants. The Oregon Department of Justice is the designated agency for the administration of VOCA funds within our state, and awards grants to extend and enhance services to crime victims and crime survivors.
The Deschutes County Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Task Force operates through the District Attorney’s office and includes members from ten professions who share ideas and information. This collaborative effort leads to better investigation and prosecution of offenders, and compassionate services to reduce the impact of crimes on victims’ lives.
This grant from the Oregon Department of Justice 2018 – 2020 VOCA Funding Initiatives will provide for the addition of a full time Deschutes County CSEC Task Force Coordinator. The position will be hired through J Bar J Youth Services, the recipient of the grant, to work with the Task Force on a county level. This grant is one of six Human Trafficking Task Force awards, representing eight counties.
Cascade Youth and Family Center (CYFC) is the sole provider of a comprehensive spectrum of services targeted to work with runaway, homeless, and throwaway youth in Deschutes County. Through their Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking Program, they provide education, outreach, and case management helping victims in regaining independence, safety, and stability. Mel Parker, CYFC’s Project Director, also serves as Co-Chair for the county’s CSEC Task Force. Cascade Youth and Family Center is one of a continuum of eight J Bar J Youth Services programs facilitating positive change for youth in Central Oregon.
www.cascadeyouthandfamilycenter.org
www.jbarj.org
For more information about this grant, Deschutes County CSEC Task Force, or CYFC programs contact Mel Parker at Cell (541) 647-4485, mparker@jbarj.org
For more information about VOCA grants in Oregon: https://www.doj.state.or.us/crime-victims/grant-funds-programs/victims-of-crime-act-voca-assistance-fund/
