Specialized Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking

The goal of the FY 2019 Direct Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking Program is to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of human trafficking, as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended. Funding through this program supports specialized services to victims of sex and labor trafficking, as well as for efforts to increase the capacity of communities to respond to human trafficking through the development of interagency partnerships, professional training, and public awareness activities over a three-year project period. Under this project, the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (BSCC) will provide education and legal assistance to victims of labor trafficking and all other forms of trafficking. BSCC will partner with the San Diego Human Trafficking Taskforce, North County Lifeline, the Department of Labor, County Probation, County District Attorney, and other community and law enforcement partners. Community trainings and forums will be conducted to raise awareness for the identification of this underserved population. Additionally, BSCC will continue to service the emergency hotline to provide identification of trafficking, and enrollment within the first 36 hours. BSCC will work with North County Lifeline and the San Diego Human Trafficking Taskforce to provide emergency responses to all forms of trafficking. BSCC will provide emergency housing by providing funding to Lifeline in North County for human and labor trafficking victims. Finally, BSCC's case managers will determine if the client qualifies for any state or federal assistance due to their trafficking experience. This plan of action will include enrollment in services such as housing, legal services, medical, mental health, and educational programs addressing short-term and long-term care. A project partner will conduct interviews and psychological forensic evaluations for all clients. In addition, Lifeline will train all partners and clients on their community resiliency model to better serve clients and continue to improve service protocols. CA/NCF