March 12, 2021
Media Contacts:
Mark Miller, Administrator, Office of Public Information, 410-313-0220
Andrea Nunez, Manager, Office of Human Trafficking Prevention, 410-313-6400
Deadline to apply is Friday, April 9th
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball is currently seeking applicants, specifically those representing faith communities, interested in serving on the County’s Human Trafficking Prevention Coordination Council (HTPCC). The deadline to apply is Friday, April 9th.
Human trafficking is a scourge on our communities throughout this state, nation, and world. Sex and labor trafficking are heinous crimes and my administration is committed to identifying more victims, connecting them to high-quality services and bringing those responsible to justice. This is an important opportunity for community stakeholders to spread awareness of how sex and labor trafficking really happen, provide resources and help implement solutions to prevent it.
Established in 2019 by County Council Bill 52-2019 and comprised for 23 members, HTPCC is responsible for advising the County Government on human trafficking prevention issues in the county and conducts outreach and education efforts on prevention in order to spread awareness of the warning signs of human trafficking.
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be 18 years of age or older, have an interest in and/or experience with matters involving human trafficking prevention or services to victims of human trafficking, and be able to attend HTPCC’s regular meetings, which are held monthly, at a date and time to be determined, at the Department of Community Resources and Services office, located at 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, meetings are currently being held virtually via Webex.
Applicants should send a resume and brief letter explaining why they want to serve on HTPCC to Kimberly Pruim either by email to kpruim@howardcountymd.gov or by mail to: Howard County Government, Office of the County Executive, Attn: Kimberly Pruim, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The names of eligible applicants will be submitted to the County Executive for approval and then to the County Council for confirmation.
The Department of Community Resources and Services’ Office of Human Trafficking Prevention (OHTP) strives to help prevent human trafficking – both sex and labor trafficking, in Howard County and beyond. To achieve its mission, OHTP works closely with HTPCC and partners with anti-trafficking agencies and organizations, which conform to the best practices in the field, as well as aligns itself with the values and standards of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force.
For more information about HTPCC, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/OHTP or contact OHTP Manager Andrea Nunez at 410-313-6558 (voice/relay) or email anunez@howardcountymd.gov.