Preventing Online Exploitation. Empowering Providers. Protecting Youth & Families.
The Digital Exploitation & Threat Evaluation for Child Trafficking (D.E.T.E.C.T.) screening tool, created by Evergreen Caregiver Support and Nathaniel LaChine, addresses a critical blind spot in child welfare and youth mental health. Traditional Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) screeners focus primarily on reactive identification of severe harm or active trafficking. Consequently, youth who do not meet these statutory thresholds frequently “screen out”—leaving professionals unaware of hidden digital vulnerabilities, grooming, boundary testing, and coercion.
D.E.T.E.C.T. bridges the gap between initial screeners and community health partners by shifting the focus toward proactive, preventative care. By evaluating core digital risks—such as secret online relationships, cash-app control, and digital labor exploitation—D.E.T.E.C.T. empowers therapists, counselors, and providers to intervene early and build safety plans before exploitation escalates.
The Gap in Traditional Screening
“Not Screening In” Doesn’t Mean “Out of Danger.”
Standard CSEC and child trafficking screeners are essential, but they were designed to detect crises that have already occurred. When a young person does not “screen in” on a traditional tool, it creates a dangerous blind spot:
Subtle Grooming Goes Unnoticed
Online manipulators rarely begin with explicit threats; they start with emotional validation, boundary testing, and secrecy.
Digital Risks Are Overshadowed
Traditional tools miss modern digital threats like gaming coercion, cash-app control, and digital labor exploitation.
Providers Lack Next Steps
When a standard screener comes back negative, mental health professionals are rarely provided actionable follow-up guidance.
D.E.T.E.C.T. was created to bridge this exact gap—offering a first-of-its-kind preventative screening aid designed to identify digital threats early and empower community health partners with a clear, supportive path forward.
Why Digital Exploitation Requires a Different Lens
Online exploitation often begins before a young person or the adults around them recognizes the interaction as exploitative. A young person may experience emotional dependency before sexual exploitation, gifts or money before financial control, secrecy before coercion, or boundary testing before overt threats. Digital relationships can develop rapidly and may cross between online and offline environments, making early warning signs difficult to recognize through traditional screening approaches alone.
The goal is not to label a young person – it is to create an opportunity for conversation, early identification, prevention, and supportive intervention.
What is the D.E.T.E.C.T. Tool?
The Digital Exploitation & Threat Evaluation for Child Trafficking (D.E.T.E.C.T.) tool is a non-judgmental, trauma-informed screening aid created by Evergreen Caregiver Support and Nathaniel LaChine.
Rather than relying on interrogation or rigid diagnostic criteria, D.E.T.E.C.T. uses a conversational, youth-centered script that invites honest disclosure without fear of getting in trouble. It bridges the divide between system screeners and clinical providers by converting raw disclosures into actionable, preventative safety strategies.
The 4 Core Domains of Digital Risk
D.E.T.E.C.T. evaluates 12 targeted indicators across four key areas of modern youth digital interaction:
| Domain | Focus Area | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rapport & Early Vulnerability | Online belonging, social isolation, and emotional reliance. | Identifies unmet offline needs before they are leveraged by online manipulators. |
| 2. Potential Grooming & Boundary Testing | Secrecy, password sharing, location tracking, and gift-giving. | Detects subtle boundary violations, isolation tactics, and enforced indebtedness. |
| 3. Potential Sexual Exploitation & Coercion | Private media requests, sextortion threats, and digital anxiety. | Uncovers active coercion, extortion, and image-based abuse requiring immediate intervention. |
| 4. Potential Financial Exploitation & Labor | Cash App/crypto control, account management, and unpaid digital work. | Examines financial control, peer exploitation, and deceptive online labor arrangements. |
Empowering Therapists & Community Health Partners
D.E.T.E.C.T. includes comprehensive Provider Guidance that walks practitioners step-by-step through clinical follow-up and safety planning.
- Preserves Agency & Rapport: Scripted introductions and closing statements explicitly reassure youth that they are not in trouble, maintaining therapeutic trust.
- Actionable Follow-Up Guidance: Every question includes specific clinical inquiries to explore power dynamics, account access, and safety without re-traumatizing the youth.
- Supports Whole-Family Healing: Bridges communication between youth, caregivers, and community health resources to establish healthier digital boundaries at home.
Tiered Action Framework
| Indicator Count | Risk Level | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 Indicators | No Immediate Indicators | Continue routine care, reinforce general digital safety education, and maintain open communication. |
| 3–5 Indicators | Possible Risk | Educate and inquire using gentle follow-up questions. Reinforce digital boundaries and trusted adult connections. |
| 6–8 Indicators | Elevated Concern | Conduct a detailed clinical assessment, review agency supervision protocols, and evaluate reporting obligations. |
| 9+ Indicators | Priority Safety Alert | Immediate intervention required. Assess for active coercion, extortion, or physical location threats, and execute emergency safety plans. |
Who Should Use D.E.T.E.C.T.?
- Mental Health Therapists & Counselors seeking structured tools to assess digital safety in clinical sessions.
- Community Health Partners & Youth Organizations working directly with vulnerable youth and families.
- School Social Workers & Behavioral Health Teams needing early-intervention screeners for online distress.
- Child Welfare & Advocacy Professionals looking to bridge the gap between statutory screeners and preventative mental health support.
Bring D.E.T.E.C.T. to Your Organization
Preventing child exploitation starts long before a crisis occurs. Equip your team with the tools to see online risks clearly and intervene with confidence.
Disclaimer: This tool is designed exclusively as an initial screening aid and educational resource. It is not a validated, standardized, or accredited screening instrument and does not establish a diagnostic or predictive measure. Copyright © 2026 Evergreen Caregiver Support and Nathaniel LaChine. All Rights Reserved.
