Establishing Safe Harbor Diversion Programs and Multidisciplinary Response Teams for Trafficked Youth
Chelsea Gaffey, LSW; Rebekkah O'Bryan, MBA, LSW; Jodi Stanton, MS & Anna Travis, PhD | September 21 | 1:45-2:45 pm
Topic: Legal, Programming | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
In 2020, Ohio’s Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services was awarded a competitive grant by the Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The OVC Improving Outcomes Grant seeks to integrate human trafficking policy and programming at the state or Tribal level through the establishment of coordinated, multidisciplinary, and statewide approaches to serving trafficked youth. In addition to employing a grant coordinator at the Office of Criminal Justice Services and developing training platforms with subject matter experts, the grant funds are used to employ a Safe Harbor Coordinator at two juvenile courts. Delaware County and Hamilton County, recipients of the state-wide grant award, have implemented Safe Harbor procedures and organized multiagency approaches to serve trafficked youth. Presenters will provide an overview of state-wide efforts to increase understanding of human trafficking and implement Safe Harbor law in the juvenile justice system. The presentation will examine the challenges associated with establishing Safe Harbor Diversion programming such as, reimagining diversion criteria for the target population, employing best practice standards, training staff, and ensuring youths’ needs are met. Presenters will also discuss strategies for organizing a multi-agency response team from getting stakeholder buy-in to determining procedures and policies. Participants will gain a better understanding of the power of engaging community partners and to identify strategies for organizing a coordinated effort to recognize and respond to child trafficking. This session will provide attendees with insight on how to apply Safe Harbor procedures and adapt diversion programs to better serve trafficked youth.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of the OVC Improving Outcomes Grant
· Discuss strategies for establishing a multidisciplinary approach to responding to human trafficking
· Offer recommendations for developing Safe Harbor Diversion programming