Responding to Human Trafficking in the Title X Context Toolkit
Welcome to the Toolkit
Human trafficking is a federal crime that affects communities throughout the United States and exploits individuals of all backgrounds, races, ages, and genders. Title X grantees must ensure that every staff member who serves or interacts with clients is able to: identify and report human trafficking; and take action and make appropriate referrals to improve the client’s safety and situation. This toolkit provides information, tools, and training for staff.
This toolkit will guide your agency to develop a client-centered response to human trafficking cases. The resources in this toolkit can be used in any order according to a site’s needs and priorities. This toolkit includes the following sections:
- Develop systems and protocols to respond to human trafficking
- Train staff to understand human trafficking in the health care context
- Refer victims and survivors of human trafficking to local, state, and national resources
Responding to human trafficking can be complex. While some organizations may want to work toward becoming specialists in human trafficking response, many organizations will not have the capacity for this, nor a prevalence of cases that requires specialization. Family planning providers can begin by implementing or revising the agency’s screening protocol for physical and sexual violence. While human trafficking is a distinct form of exploitation and violence, survivors may experience trafficking as sexual, physical, or intimate partner violence. Thus, the routine screening for intimate partner violence recommended by “Providing Quality Family Planning Services: Recommendations from CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs” (QFP) is a good place to start.
| Action Steps | Supportive Resources |
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Develop or update your agency’s Title X program-compliant policy for human trafficking screening and referrals |
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Develop or update your agency’s policy for mandatory reporting |
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Develop or update your agency’s policy for intimate partner violence screening and referrals |
Survivors of human trafficking interact with providers in a range of health care settings—including primary care and family planning clinics—but report that their situation is often missed or ignored.
| Action Steps | Supportive Resources |
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Train staff annually on identifying and responding to human trafficking per Title X regulations Note: “Identifying and Responding to Human Trafficking in Title X Settings” eLearning builds on the SOAR Trainings provided by the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center |
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Train staff about how health and other systems help or impede support for victims and survivors |
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Develop and/or update state-specific mandatory reporting training and train staff annually as required by Title X regulations |
Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting in Title X-Funded Family Planning Settings: Instructions for Customizing and Delivering a State-Specific Training |
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Train clinicians on how to code human trafficking related services |
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Human trafficking victims and survivors may need a range of immediate support, including food, housing, health care, mental health treatment, and substance use disorder treatment. Establishing relationships and understanding the referral options in your community will enhance your agency’s capacity to respond to cases of human trafficking.
| Action Steps | Supportive Resources |
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Review organizational referral lists/agreements to ensure they include local organizations that respond to and support victims and survivors of human trafficking |
Establishing and Providing Effective Referrals for Clients: A Toolkit for Family Planning Providers |
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Consult National Human Trafficking Hotline’s Referral Directory to identify national, state, and local organizations and resources for victims and survivors |
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Share National Human Trafficking Hotline information through posters or other hand-outs made available throughout service sites |
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