Whole Child Leon Now Accepting Open Doors Referrals in the Big Bend Region
Whole Child Leon, located in Tallahassee, now has a fully staffed Open Doors Outreach Team! As of September 15th Whole Child Leon is accepting referrals for Open Doors services. Their 24/7/365 Open Doors referral line is 1-888-707-1625. Voices is so proud of all the work Whole Child Leon has performed to get services up and running so quickly. We look forward to Whole Child Leon’s continued collaboration within the Network!
Register for Regional Advocate Cohort Training by
Wednesday October 6th
The annual Regional Advocate Cohort Training will take place Tuesday, October 26th and Wednesday, October 27th at the Voices for Florida headquarters located at 111 S. Magnolia Drive Suite 4, Tallahassee, FL 32301. This is a mandatory training for all Regional Advocates serving in the Open Doors Outreach Network.
For Regional Advocates who will be visiting from outside of town, Voices for Florida is providing 2 nights of hotel accommodation at the Home2Suites Tallahassee, checking in on Monday, October 25th, and checking out on Wednesday, October 27th. Additionally, Voices for Florida is providing reimbursement for one rental car and fuel per region, as well
as meals according to the State of Florida rate. All reimbursements must include a receipt. Food reimbursement rates are as follows – breakfast: $6.00, lunch: $11.00, and dinner: $19.00 for a maximum daily amount of $36.00.
Please RSVP using the button below no later than Wednesday, October 6th.
Please RSVP no later than Wednesday October 6th.
Hotel reservations must be made by participants by clicking here and included in the expense reports for reimbursement. Alternatively, you can call to make a reservation and ask for the Voices for Florida group rate. The deadline to book your hotel reservation is Wednesday, October 6th.
Car rental reservations must be made by participants and included in the expense reports for reimbursement. Only one rental car/fuel for in-person trainings per region will be eligible for reimbursement. The OAG has indicated that car rental reimbursement rates are limited to the State of Florida car rental contract as follows: Full Size – $29.50 per day (requires more than one traveler). Compact – $25.55 (for one traveler). The OAG will not reimburse above these rates. Please note that Voices for Florida will not reimburse for mileage for participants – only rental fees and fuel costs will be covered. Receipts are necessary for all reimbursements.
New Open Doors Team Member Spotlight
Lisa Sheehan is a new Open Doors Survivor-Mentor in the Northeast Region. You can reach her at lsheehan@seethegirl.org Please join us in welcoming her to the Network!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy gardening and yoga, though I would not say I am talented at either one. What I truly enjoy is spending time with my granddaughter.
What is one achievement you are proud of?
I am most proud of myself for accomplishing a long held goal of buying my first home. I also renovated the bathroom with some help from my daughter. Fingers crossed it lasts for many years to come.
What drew you to serving sex-trafficked children and young adults?
I have always been interested in empowering those members of our population who may temporarily feel powerless at the hands of others. I myself was born into generational trauma. History just kept repeating itself. After growing up in the foster care system, I was aware that the system is at the very least, flawed. All of this ultimately influenced me to be the one to break the cycle. It may have been a long bumpy journey but I overcame, and am proud of whom I have become. I will continue to work hard in honor of all victims and survivors.
Upcoming Webinar:
Perspectives: Sex Trafficking Vulnerabilities of Individuals Aging Out of Foster Care
Wednesday, September 29, 12:00-1:30pm ET
Moderated by Lauren Herod, MSW, MPA of Voices for Florida, this webinar will bring together experts and service providers as they discuss the unique support systems individuals aging out of foster care could benefit from to help prevent them from falling victim to sex trafficking. Speakers include Chanel Dionne of Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Christy Gillis of DCF, Christine M. Frederick, MSW of FLITE Center, and Kayla O’Neal, MSW of Tallahassee Community College Fostering Achievement Fellowship Program. Free to attend. Click to register
American Children’s Campaign and Voices for Florida Presents Superheroes for Super Kids Award to Attorney General Ashley Moody
Open Doors Statewide Director and Open Doors Education and Training Director recently traveled to Tampa to present a joint award with American Children’s Campaign (formerly known as The Children’s Campaign) to Attorney General Ashley Moody. Moody was named a Victim Advocate Superhero for her support of sex trafficked children as part of the American Children’s Campaign’s Superheroes for Super Kids Award series. Attorney General Ashley Moody has played an integral role in supporting the Open Doors Outreach Network in our continued growth. It was an honor to be able to recognize her for such a feat!
Hoyt’s Tool of the Week: Safe Stays by ReloShare
Safe Stays by ReloShare is a business-to-business booking platform that allows agencies to book hotel
rooms for survivors 24/7 with alias check-ins and no credit card or ID requirements. They also offer monthly consolidated billing and have no membership fee — you only pay for the hotel rooms you book
on the site.
The site is completely free to use. More than 6,000 hotels across the U.S. are available on the booking site and clients have booked hundreds of nights of hotel rooms across the country in states like
California, Washington, Virginia and Illinois since they launched in June. Safe Stays by Reloshare are available in rural, suburban and metropolitan areas in all 50 states, including Florida.
Upcoming Webinars
Back to School Basics: Childproofing Our Communities from Human Trafficking (Anti-Trafficking International)
Wednesday, September 23, 7:30-9:00pm ET
As our children go back into physical classrooms, social dynamics have shifted. Old friends have lost touch. New friendships were forged online. Social anxieties are intensified. Our children are likely meeting different people in person for the first time. These are great opportunities for our children to expand their friendships. They also create new opportunities for traffickers to exploit our children’s weaknesses. How do we keep our kids confident and safe as they go back into schools and real-world hangouts?
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Supporting Children and Adolescents (Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health)
Wednesday, September 23, 6:00-8:00pm ET
Presented by Erik Young, M.Ed, LPC, LMHC. Free to participate. To register, email FLRSVP@Devereux.org
Perspectives: Sex Trafficking Vulnerabilities of Individuals Aging Out of Foster Care (Voices for Florida)
Wednesday, September 29, 12:00-1:30pm ET
Moderated by Lauren Herod, MSW, MPA of Voices for Florida, this webinar will bring together experts and service providers as they discuss the unique support systems individuals aging out of foster care could benefit from to help prevent them from falling victim to sex trafficking. Speakers include Chanel Dionne of Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Christy Gillis of DCF, Christine M. Frederick, MSW of FLITE Center, and Kayla O’Neal, MSW of Tallahassee Community College Fostering Achievement Fellowship Program.
Faith Community & Human Trafficking Workshop (Gateway to Fr33dom Human Trafficking Taskforce)
Thursday, September 30, 10:00am-12:00pm ET
Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. P. “Doc” Nave with Bikers Against Trafficking
Human Trafficking: Myths and Realities in the Big Bend (United Partners for Human Services)
Thursday, October 14, 10am–11:30am EDT
Join us for a multi-media program geared to develop an understanding of human trafficking dynamics. This training will teach non-profit service providers, businesses, healthcare professionals, faith communities, counselors, and anyone who may encounter a survivor or victim of sex or labor trafficking to be confident in responding safely and effectively. Featured speakers include Robin Hassler Thompson (STAC), Cecka Rose Green (Children’s Home Society), Courtney Atkins (Whole Child Leon), and Taylor Biro (Capital Tea).
