OVC FY2022 Preventing Trafficking of Girls

There currently are limited services in place to support female identifying youth determined to be at risk for or experiencing sexual exploitation.  Since 2012, Community Solutions has worked in partnership across disciplines to address the needs of suspected and confirmed survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.  This funding will allow us to increase capacity to provide screening, crisis intervention, and comprehensive case management services to girls identified as at risk for or experiencing commercial sexual exploitation in Santa Clara County.  Specific services will include: (1) crisis intervention, (2) screening utilizing the Commercial Sexual Exploitation-Identification Tool (CSE-IT), (3) case management including provision of basic needs (food, clothing, hygiene, etc.), safety planning, and goal planning, transportation, advocacy and accompaniment, and connection to referrals as needed.  Continued training to professionals is integral to identification of youth at risk for or currently experiencing exploitation.  Training to key stakeholders, including, but not limited to, probation officers, social workers, behavioral health staff, residential facility staff, parents/caregivers, will focus on the definition of sexual exploitation, identifiers, and engagement strategies.  Education around services available to at risk for and confirmed survivors of sexual exploitation will be provided to youth-serving professionals throughout the project area.

All girls who are screened and identified as at risk for sexual exploitation will be referred for voluntary services through the Point Agency System for human trafficking services.  The focus of services will be strengthening connections to positive and/or natural supports, promoting the individual strengths of the youth, and decreasing risk factors for sexual exploitation.  This project has four specific goals: (1) Work in collaboration with youth-serving professionals to ensure that female identifying youth at risk for or experiencing sexual exploitation are identified and connected to appropriate services; (2) provide comprehensive, trauma informed, individualized advocacy and supportive services to approximately 120 systems involved at-risk girls over the project term; (3) provide long-term follow-up; and (4) provide training and technical assistance to systems and providers that work with at-risk girls.  Engagement, short-term, and long-term outcomes related to services will be measured using program evaluations.  Training and technical assistance performance related outcomes will be measured using pre and posttests.