SIRV Model Implementation: Establishing a comprehensive human trafficking response in five units of University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center

The goal of the SAFE Center’s SIRV Model Implementation: Establishing a comprehensive human trafficking response and service referral pathway in five units of University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center (UM CRMC) is to improve identification and response to victims of sex and labor trafficking in the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Prince George’s County (PG Co) and second busiest trauma center in Maryland. In 2019, the SAFE Center partnered with the Maryland Hospital Association and forensic nurses across the state to write and release Human Trafficking: Guidelines for Health Care Providers. The guidelines outline the Serve, Identify, Respond, and eValuate (SIRV) Model, which offers best practices to screen, identify, and support victims of sex and labor trafficking in a medical setting. The proposed project will apply the SIRV model to the Emergency Department, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Center, OB/GYN, Behavioral Health, and Ambulatory units of UM CRMC to improve care and outcomes for victims of sex and labor trafficking. This project will benefit individuals who are high-risk or have experienced trafficking by empowering healthcare workers at UM CRMC to identify trafficking risk and offer evidence-based, trauma-informed, patient-centered, and culturally appropriate support and services. The project activities will include comprehensive training on the SIRV model, creating trafficking policies and protocols, building partnerships and a robust community referral network, and rigorous program evaluation. The project will serve as a pilot for the implementation of the SIRV model, with the intention of scaling the model to other Maryland hospitals.