Columbus, Ohio – In a decisive move to protect vulnerable youth across the state, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, alongside Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson and Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara Wente, unveiled two major initiatives designed to intervene early in cases involving children at risk of human trafficking.
Dedicated Anti-Trafficking Caseworkers to Be Embedded in High-Risk Counties
The first initiative introduces a pilot program that will embed full-time caseworkers with specialized anti-human trafficking training into public children services agencies in three Ohio counties—Cuyahoga, Hamilton, and Montgomery. These caseworkers will concentrate entirely on identifying and supporting victims of human trafficking, acting as the go-to experts within their agencies. By dedicating their roles exclusively to human trafficking cases, these professionals are expected to significantly enhance the state’s ability to detect early warning signs and coordinate meaningful intervention.
“Unfortunately, we know that human trafficking is underreported,” said Governor DeWine. “By implementing these efforts, we will identify more children who are being trafficked and help them recover from their trauma.”
The goal of placing these caseworkers in counties with strong anti-trafficking community networks is to deepen collaboration and ensure that victims are swiftly connected with the resources they need to begin healing. These communities are already active in fighting trafficking, and the new positions are meant to strengthen those efforts with focused support.
New Response Model to Address Repeated Runaways in Montgomery County
The second initiative is a collaborative effort in Montgomery County to reduce the number of children who repeatedly run away or go missing from care—a pattern often linked to trafficking vulnerabilities. Instead of relying solely on law enforcement, a local nonprofit will lead the response using trauma-informed techniques and a human trafficking screening tool.
This initiative is a direct outcome of Governor DeWine’s Missing Persons Working Group, which recommended assigning trained advocates with social work backgrounds to follow up with youth who return home after going missing. These advocates will work with families, connect youth to essential services, and relieve pressure on police officers by handling cases from a support-centered approach.
“Intervening early starts with understanding why young people go missing,” said DCY Director Kara Wente. “When we better identify the why, we can connect youth with the right services. By responding with compassion and coordinated support, we can prevent exploitation, reduce long-term harm, and help young people find safety, stability, and hope.”
Programs Inspired by Proven Models and Backed by State Funding
Montgomery County’s approach is modeled after Denver’s RONI (Runaway, Outreach, Notification and Intervention) Project, which has shown success in reducing repeat runaway cases and protecting youth from exploitation. Ohio’s version will be implemented through a partnership between the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), the Department of Children and Youth, the Dayton Police Department, and the nonprofit Daybreak.
OCJS is providing $400,000 to fund the anti-trafficking caseworker pilot program, while OCJS and DCY are jointly investing $550,000 over two years to launch the Ohio RONI project.
“The best way to stop human trafficking is to intervene early and support at-risk children before they can be victimized,” said DPS Director Andy Wilson. “Enforcement is one big piece of the puzzle, but stopping this crime before it starts is the most critical piece.”
A Statewide Commitment to Prevention and Protection
The announcement was made during a meeting of the Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, highlighting the administration’s broad commitment to a proactive and compassionate strategy for protecting Ohio’s most vulnerable children. By investing in early detection, comprehensive response, and trauma-informed care, Ohio is leading by example in the fight against human trafficking.
