Heather Abel, State of Florida
Daniela Deas, 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida


RISE Court (Restoring Independence, Strength & Empowerment) is a specialized treatment court designed to address the unique needs of child survivors of commercial sex trafficking within both the dependency and delinquency court systems. This workshop will provide an overview of the prevalence of child sex trafficking in these court systems and highlight the critical need for improved strategies and tools to effectively serve these particularly vulnerable youth. We will emphasize the importance of each agency's role and the necessity of collaboration among all stakeholders involved, including centering the survivor's voice. The presenters will illustrate the operational framework of RISE Court within the 17th Judicial Circuit. Finally, we aim to engage participants in formulating actionable plans to integrate the knowledge gained into effective strategies for serving survivors in their own circuits.