Melissa Larkin-Skinner appointed to Statewide Council on Human Trafficking in Florida

Melissa Larkin-Skinner, regional CEO in Florida, has been named to the Direct Support Organization for the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking by Florida House Speaker Jose R. Oliva.

A licensed mental health counselor with 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction prevention and treatment, Melissa has worked with children and adults of all ages in diverse programs including inpatient, outpatient, crisis intervention, intensive community-based and child welfare. She has designed and operated innovative programs to meet community needs, including the first children’s Community Action Treatment (CAT) team in 2004. CAT has been adopted as Florida’s statewide model serving youth who are struggling with severe mental health, behavioral and co-occurring disorders, along with their families.

Melissa regularly provides state and federal policy feedback and engages in legislative advocacy as a mental health and addiction subject-matter expert in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. She has led Centerstone in the rapid expansion of treatment services for individuals fighting opioid addiction, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in hospital, clinic and jail-based sites. She currently serves as the only behavioral health provider on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

Her appointment is effective immediately and expires October 24, 2021.

The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of trafficking around the world. Domestically, Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of calls to the national Human Trafficking Hotline. For information on Florida’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, please click here.