Trafficking Victims Specialized Legal Services: Promoting Long-Term Recovery & Healing for Survivors of Labor Trafficking

Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work (JAW), in partnership with La Puerta Abierta (LPA) and HEAL Trafficking (HEAL), proposes to build and deepen capacity to support survivors of human trafficking throughout Pennsylvania (PA). This project will serve immigrant survivors of trafficking, focusing on labor trafficking. Immigrant and foreign national workers are particularly vulnerable to the deceptive and coercive tactics of traffickers because of their immigration status, fear of law enforcement, and lack of familiarity with U.S. employment protections, lower levels of literacy, and limited English proficiency. The project will facilitate healing and promote the long-term success and self-sufficiency of trafficking survivors and their families by: (1) Providing specialized legal and mental health services that help survivors recover from the long-lasting harm caused by their trafficking; (2) Building awareness and knowledge about trafficking and T visa status among medical service providers to facilitate identification and development of supports for victims and survivors, particularly those in isolated circumstances and rural regions; and (3) Improving trafficking victims’ and survivors’ access to services by growing and strengthening a statewide network of support that includes law enforcement to help survivors achieve general health and wellbeing over the long term.

JAW and its partners propose to achieve project goals through the following overarching activities, deliverables, and products: (1) Trauma-informed legal services designed to aid survivors in maintaining their immigration status, preventing re-victimization and re-trafficking, and protecting and advancing their hard-won economic stability. JAW will support at least 60 survivors with legal services, helping up to 45 survivors with T visa adjustment of status and/or naturalization applications. (2) Trauma-informed case management and mental health services over the grant period to strengthen survivors’ ability to achieve good health outcomes and wellbeing and deepen their capacity for self-sufficiency. LPA will provide comprehensive case management and mental health services for 45 survivors, provide family therapy for all families reunifying during the grant period, and hold monthly meetings for JAW and LPA staff to coordinate services. (3) Developing and piloting a training model to help health care professionals identify and provide care to labor trafficking survivors. Through a process of internal training and resource development, JAW and HEAL will develop a curriculum and materials that will be piloted through 8 training sessions for healthcare professionals throughout PA.