Provided by Prince William County Schools
Betsy Young
Elizabeth “Betsy” Young, PWCS supervisor of social workers, has spent her career doing whatever she could to help children and adolescents. Her recent award from Stop Child Abuse Now(SCAN) spotlights the program she leads to keep vulnerable students on track for success.
Young is known throughout the region and at the state and national levels for initiating and leading a campaign to prevent sex trafficking of teenagers in Prince William County. Billboards, public service announcements, educational programs, and social media have pushed awareness of trafficking into the public domain. Young is one of five champions for children to receive the 2017 “Allies in Prevention Award” from SCAN of Northern Virginia. She leads a team of social workers who serve nearly 90,000 students in Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS).
Young designed a comprehensive human trafficking prevention program for the School Division, secured major grant funding, and enlisted the help of law enforcement and social service agencies, both private and public. Since the program began in 2013, PWCS has identified 162 students who are on the continuum of exploitation and over 440 students who have requested assistance or follow-up with a social worker. Victims are receiving services through community partners, enabling them to continue their education.