Enhanced scope of services for trafficked youth

The goal of the FY 2020 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Programs 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.

Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ) will expand its specialized housing-related services to 18-21 year old trafficking victims in Newark and Atlantic City, New Jersey, and expand its identification of human trafficking to older youth, ranging from ages 22 to 24, seeking housing in Essex County (Newark), New Jersey. CHNJ serves homeless and trafficked clients with a continuum of housing options and a wide range of co-located, trauma-informed, resilience-oriented supportive services. Applying lessons learned from services provided to trafficking victims through a 2016 OVC grant, CHNJ will enhance on-site services and rental assistance to trafficking victims, including: (1) adding Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a therapeutic treatment modality available to trafficking victims through onsite behavioral health services; (2) dedicating specialized victim services attorney support to underserved trafficking victims in southern NJ and improving client access to state VOCA funds in Newark and Atlantic City, (3) expanding our rental assistance program to provide 5 subsidized rapid rehousing apartments for 24 months to victims of human trafficking, and (4) expanding screening for human trafficking to a projected 450 22-24 year olds seeking housing in Essex County. CA/NCF.