Building a Trauma Informed, Victim Centered Safety Net in Healthcare

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 direct services to victims of sex trafficking 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. This award made under purpose Area 1 to The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority scales the existing healthcare response to human trafficking through professional training, enhanced collaboration with community partners, improved direct service provision, and increased engagement at “high impact hospitals” in the system. HT-EMAT engages victims early in recovery as they navigate the complexity of the healthcare system, interface with the criminal justice system (when appropriate), and access restorative services via community partnerships. The project will (1) Expand direct services to victims identified in the largest healthcare system in the southeast; (2) Raise awareness of human trafficking through systemwide education; (3) Implement a victim self-identification campaign; (4) Enhance interagency collaboration and the coordinated community response, and (5) Conduct action research. The project will expand to include the entire Atrium Health system, which spans three states (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia); however, the majority of activities during the funding period will focus on Mecklenburg County, NC and three counties surrounding Charlotte, NC. CA/NCF