UKIAH, CA.,  2/2/26 — The Ukiah branch of the Court Appointed Special Advocates teamed up with the California State Highway Patrol to offer training on human trafficking awareness at the Pinoleville Rancheria Thursday. The court advocates monitor foster youth in counties across the nation. The program was hosted by the Pinoleville Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) group; about 20 people attended the training, held in the rancheria’s gym. 

Court advocate Brandy Maxwell gave  real life examples of trafficking, neglect and abuse of Native American children in Mendocino County. In the 2024 Mendocino County Grand Jury report on county child services, Native American children represent 24 percent of the children in foster care and nearly 30 percent of children placed in emergency transitional care. This overrepresentation (Native children make up approximately 4.1 percent of the county’s population under age 18 according to Kidsdata) meant the presentation was frighteningly relevant.