** ACCESSIBILITY: If the online format is difficult for you to complete, you can access a fillable PDF and submit via email. If you would like to do the application verbally, please email our task force director at stop-it@usc.salvationarmy.org to set up a call **

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:bd0d1e52-ba82-4180-853d-83e6d526d603 

The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force (CCHTTF) is a multi-disciplinary task force that brings advocates, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, social service, and legal service agencies together to address human trafficking. The Task Force is a joint project of the Salvation Army STOP-IT program and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Each year, the Task Force hosts a human trafficking conference to inform, educate and strengthen anti-trafficking efforts in Cook County and the Northern District of IL. The conference generally features two full days of presentations on innovative work from local and national experts on human trafficking. This year, the conference will include a virtual introductory presentation a week prior to the conference, for newly engaged stakeholders who seek to build their skills and incorporate strategies for trauma-informed support for survivors of human trafficking. Date to be announced.

 FAQ

If invited to present, speakers will recieve complimentary registration. Out of town speakers are elligible for Per Diem reimbursement and complimentary hotel accomodation. Local speaker may be elligble for milage reimbursement. This conference does not reimburse travel costs or provide honorariums.

Evolving Approaches in the Fight Against Trafficking

As the field of human trafficking continues to evolve, so too much our approach. The 2026 conference will highlight innovation, research, and case studies that enhance our understanding of the issue. The conference planning committee welcomes all human trafficking related presentations. Special consideration will be given to presentations that cover one of the following topics:

• Labor Trafficking by Forced Criminality in Youth
• Multidisciplinary case studies
• Technology Factilitated Trafficking
• Continuation of missing and murdered BIPOC girls and women
• Outreach strategies for Domestic Workers
• Services and resources for immigrant survivors
• Investigation and prosecution techniques labor trafficking cases
• Scenario based healthcare trainings 

The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force Conference Planning Committee will evaluate the proposals out of 100. The following are the merit-based criteria for evaluation:

The committee takes into account lived experience and non-traditional work experience in the Qualifications and Expertise cateogry.

Please note that all presentations must be trauma-informed, respect the privacy of survivors, get consent before sharing survivor narratives, protect confidentiality, and strategically change any names or redact identifying information when referencing specific cases. Presentations should not utilize stereotypical imagery, perpetuate extreme narratives of human trafficking, or employ sensationalist messaging such as “modern day slavery” and/or “abolition” to describe the crime of human trafficking and anti-trafficking work. Any presentations that are not aligned with these standards will not be considered for the conference.

We reccomend submitting a detailed description of the proposal.

MISSION

The mission of the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force is to:

• Combat human trafficking through seamless collaboration between law enforcement and social service providers;
• Use a victim-centered approach in proactively investigating and prosecuting human trafficking crimes; and
• Provide comprehensive, high-quality social services to all
  victims of human trafficking.

VISION

The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force envisions:

• A swift and coordinated criminal justice response to human trafficking, in which perpetrators are held accountable and in which the rights of victims of trafficking under Illinois and federal law are protected;
• A comprehensive network of high-quality services for victims of trafficking that all victims can access as soon as they are identified in the community or by law enforcement; and
• Systemic collaboration between service providers and law enforcement towards the common goal of combating human trafficking in our community.