us department of health and human services region ii...

US Department of Health and Human Services Region II Training Initiative on Human Trafficking Prevention

Overview of S-O-A-R: Stop-Observe-Act-Respond Curriculum

Presenter CAPT Claritsa MalaveChief Medical Officer HRSA, Office of Regional Operations Region II

SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

US Department of Health and Human Services Region II

• Information on Human Trafficking Prevention related Activities and on Training Initiative was provided by a collaboration with the HHS Region II Office on Women's Health

Key Events

• September 25, 2012

President Obama renewed the federal commitment to ending human trafficking

• October 17-18, 2012

HHS Region II Training Institute on Human Trafficking Prevention: Health and Social Service Concerns for At-Risk Women and Youth

• January 14, 2014

Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking in the United States, 2013-2017 released

• September, 2014

SOAR Course for Healthcare Providers Piloted

Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking in the United States, 2013-2017

We will invest in helping trafficking victims rebuild their lives.” – President Barack Obama, December 31, 2012

Federal Strategic Action Plan Goals

www.ovc.gov/pubs/FederalHumanTraffickingStrategicPlan.pdf

1. Align efforts:

Promote a strategic, coordinated approach to the provision of services for victims of human trafficking at the federal, regional, state, territorial, tribal, and local levels.

2. Improve Understanding:

Expand and coordinate human trafficking-related research, data, and evaluation to support evidence-based practices in victim services.

3. Expand Access:

Provide and promote outreach, training, and technical assistance to increase victim identification and expand the availability of services.

4. Improve Outcomes:

Promote effective, culturally appropriate, trauma-informed services that improve the short- and long-term health, safety, and well-being of victims.

• Improve Understanding:

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Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA)

The TVPA is a federal statute that was passed into law in 2000 (reauthorized in 2003 as HR 2620, in 2005 as HR 972 and in 2008 as HR 7317). Among its key mandates, it offers protection for victims of human trafficking who are in the United States illegally.

Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) cont.

What is Human Trafficking?

“A crime that involves the exploitation of a

person for the purpose of compelled labor or

a commercial sex act ”Source : Federal Strategic Action Plan

Human Trafficking as Defined by TVPA

• Sex trafficking: “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age”

• Labor Trafficking: “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery”

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA)

Means: Force, Fraud and Coercion

Human Trafficking Occurs in Various Locations

How Does Human Trafficking Affect Health Care Providers?

• Health Prevention: populations at risk for human trafficking include homeless and runaway youth, LGBT populations, refugees, victims of sexual or domestic violence, etc.

• Health Care: Trafficked persons may present in the emergency room or for primary health care with their trafficker

• After-care: persons who have been able to escape often require comprehensive health, reproductive health, mental health, and dental care services.

Services Required for Survivors of Trafficking

Culturally-Appropriate

Emergency Services Legal Services Social Services Health Care

Language interpretation and translation services

Crisis intervention and Counseling

Immigration, criminal, and/or civil legal support

Case management Health care, includingprescriptionsDental and vision care

Culturally-appropriatefood

Emergency shelter and referrals

Court accompaniment and advocacy

Public benefits Behavioral/mental health care

Connection to culturally-specific centers of faith

Urgent medical care Family court services Shelter/housing Substance abuse treatment

English as a Second Language education

Safety planning Crime victim compensation

GED or other education program

Seasonally-appropriate clothing and shoes

Job training

Employment assistance

Transportation

Victim Encounters with the U.S. Health Care System

Contact with Health Care Professionals(Chisolm-Straker et al. 2014)

Barriers to Identification

2008 HHS National Symposium on the Health Needs of Human Trafficking Victims

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STOP

OBSERVE

ASK

RESPOND to human trafficking

SOAR to Health and Wellness TrainingLearning Objectives

SOAR to Health and Wellness Training Description

SOAR: Building Capacity, Collaboration, and Coordination

HHS Region II Training Initiative on Human Trafficking Prevention

• FY 2015Summer 2015

Project Description

Goals of HHS Region II SOAR Training

Training Goals

• Understand the scope of the problem of human trafficking in the US states and

territories.

• Gain awareness of the complex health and social service needs of trafficked

persons.

• Understand and apply trauma-informed approaches and Culturally and

Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards for services to survivors of

human trafficking.

• Foster collaboration among federal , regional, state, territorial and community

partners to build a coordinated and strategic response to the needs of survivors

of human trafficking.

What You Can Do

• Raise awareness

• Form a community coalition

• Volunteer at an anti-trafficking organization

• Establish a protocol to respond

• Organize an event to commemorate National

Human Trafficking + Anti-

Slavery Awareness Month

January

What You Can DoCont.

• National Resource Center for Human Trafficking

1-888-373-7888 www.traffickingresourcecenter.org

• Report tips on possible cases of human trafficking

• Fact sheets

• Educational resources

Federal Agency Response

Federal Government Action Steps

HHS Region II in collaboration with federal partners will conduct the following activities in support of the Federal Strategic Action Plan:

• Provide federal leadership and direction to improve services to trafficked persons by identifying promising practices and implementing recommendations for strategic change

• Coordinate services to trafficking survivors effectively through collaboration across multiple service sectors

• Increase victim identification through coordinated public outreach and awareness efforts by promoting National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and providing resources, websites, and social media messages to the general public

• Build capacity to better identify and serve trafficked persons though targeted training and technical assistance

• Promote effective culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed services that improve the short- and long-term health, safety, and wellbeing of survivors of trafficking

• Expand and coordinate human trafficking-related research, data, and evaluation to promote a strategic, coordinated approach to services at the federal, regional, state, territorial, tribal, and local levels.

Source: Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking in the United States

Líneas Directas de Apoyo para Víctimas de Trata en Puerto Rico

Programas de Capacitación en Puerto Rico sobre la Trata Humana

HHS Contact Persons in Washington, DC

Katherine Chon

Director

Office of Trafficking in Persons

HHS Administration for Children & Families

Katherine.Chon@acf.hhs.gov

Rochelle Rollins

Human Trafficking Health Policy Advisor

Office of Trafficking in Persons

HHS Administration for Children & Families

Rochelle.Rollins@acf.hhs.gov

Adrienne Smith

Public Health Advisor

HHS Office on Women’s Health

Adrienne.Smith@hhs.gov

Website: www.acf.hhs.gov/endtrafficking

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HHS Region II Contact Persons

Sandra Bennett-Pagan

Regional Women’s Health Coordinator

HHS Region II OASH Office on Women’s Health

Sandra.Bennett-Pagan@hhs.gov

Marline Vignier

Regional Coordinator for Minority Health

HHS OASH Region II Office of Minority Health

Marline.Vignier@hhs.gov

Bronia Ashford

Management and Project Specialist

HHS Region II Administration for Children and Families

Bronia.Ashford@acf.hhs.gov

HRSA ORO Contact

CAPT Claritsa Malave, MD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer

HRSA ORO Region II, PR Office

787-766-5545

cmalave@hrsa.gov