Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) Austin

Through this award, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) will implement the Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) program, which will serve foreign-national victims of human trafficking in the Austin, TX area and nearby regions. The purpose of the program is to offer provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed case management and legal immigration services to victims of trafficking. Project activities will include outreach to trafficking victims through liaising with community-based organizations, sexual assault crisis centers, migrant health centers, refugee organizations, and trafficking task forces that include law enforcement, mental health experts and trafficking service providers. USCRI’s Legal Services Program will offer attorney services including T visas, U visas, Temporary Protected Status Self-Petitions for Battered Spouses and Children (VAWA), Protection Orders, Naturalization, Asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and Work Authorization, as well as legal services for ancillary issues arriving from trafficking such as expungement and child custody. Additionally, STARS case managers will help victims access safe shelter, housing, food, clothing, transportation, personal care items and childcare as needed from community resources and facilitate victim-directed safety plans and individualized service plans.