ATLANTA — There is a new partnership in Georgia to address mental health services for survivors of human trafficking.
Gov. Brian Kemp and Marty Kemp, the first lady, were on hand Tuesday for the partnership's announcement at GracePointe Church in Marietta. It will see the organization Rescuing Hope, with a grant from the healthcare provider CareSource and in partnership with the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, open up a facility to help human trafficking survivors get back on their feet.
It comes as state leaders also announced that a state-run mental health facility for survivors will soon be opening in Gwinnett County.
It's part of the continuing prioritization on trafficking that Gov. Kemp and the first lady have made a signature issue while in office. Marty Kemp has chaired the GRACE Commission, which is focused on finding solutions to trafficking, since its formation in January 2020.
They said Tuesday they've spent the last several months speaking with survivors who have been freed or rescued from trafficking about what obstacles they're facing.
Those survivors frequently pointed to the same priority: Mental health.
"What these professionals are doing is helping them building that trust and understanding, and it's not something that you can do in an hour," Gov. Kemp said. "It's something where you got to have a facility, where you can work literally for days to get to where they can comprehend that they have the potential to be on the other side now."
Leaders also discussed a recent piece of legislation that was signed into law last Tuesday that will now fine businesses between $500-$5,000 if they don't display the state human trafficking hotline somewhere in their business.
"Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the vulnerable and robs individuals of their freedom,” First Lady Marty Kemp said in a statement last week. “I am thankful for the Georgia General Assembly’s overwhelming and bipartisan support for this important piece of legislation and the tireless work of my fellow GRACE Commission members. We must continue to work together, across all levels of government and with our community partners, to end this scourge and provide justice for survivors."