BATON ROUGE - The Department of Children and Family Services announced the launching of its new hotline, which will be solely dedicated to receiving reports of child sex trafficking. 

Juvenile sex trafficking can now be reported through DCFS's child abuse/neglect hotline at (1-855) 4LA-KIDS (452-5437) and selecting option #4.

Callers may remain anonymous or identify themselves and leave callback information. The hotline is toll-free and will be active 24/7. 

"Having a central point for receiving these calls is a vital advancement in the State's work of protecting children," said DCFS Secretary Terri Ricks in a press release. "Combatting the crime of human trafficking and ensuring children are brought to safety requires the efforts of multiple agencies and partners across the state. This hotline strengthens that network by allowing us all to work each case from a single entry point."