The David
Lawrence Center honored the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s Human Trafficking
Unit during the annual Recovery Month awards ceremony Thursday.
The DLC
recognized Detective Andy Henchesmoore and Victim Advocate Marisol Schloendorn,
who make up the human trafficking unit, for their involvement in community outreach
and referral.
In 2005, CCSO started the first federally funded human trafficking task force in Florida. Detective Henchesmoore and VA Schloendorn are helping victims of human trafficking access trauma services, mental health care and substance abuse treatment as well as putting their captors behind bars.
The DLC is a
nonprofit mental health and substance abuse treatment facility serving
children, adults and families in Collier County. DLC joins other voices of
recovery from across the nation in observing the 26th annual national
Recovery Month. The event is held in September to help increase awareness and
understanding of mental and substance abuse disorder. It also helps to promote
the message that behavioral health is essential to health, prevention works,
treatment is effective and people recover.
Thursday’s ceremony
at the New Hope Community Center, 7676 Davis Blvd., East Naples, recognized
individuals and organizations in Collier County for their outstanding
contributions to support those in recovery.
Collier
County Public Schools, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, The Rev. Tommy Sloan of
St. Matthew’s House, and George Callahan were also honored at the ceremony,