The Department of Veteran Affairs Response to Veterans Impacted by Human Trafficking and Substance Abuse
Katie Papke, LMSW, CAADC, CHTVSP & Amy Ashcraft, LCSW | September 22 | 3:15-4:15 pm
Topic: Direct Service | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) recognizes that the veteran community is being impacted by human trafficking. The complex relationship between addiction and both labor and sex trafficking is a serious public health concern. The role of substance use in human trafficking is powerful and pervasive. Individuals with substance use issues are especially vulnerable to trauma and victimization by human traffickers. The potential that a professional’s values, beliefs, or stereotypes could affect how a victim of human trafficking is perceived. The possibility of missing vital red flags is critical as it could result in misinterpreting behavior and providing insufficient or inappropriate services. Professionals and advocates working with individuals experiencing human trafficking need to challenge their own biases and address ethical barriers to provide trauma-informed care. The presentation will explore ethical decision-making related to providing services to trafficked individuals. It will discuss how bias can affect the identification and services needed and offer examples of recovery-oriented practices. It will discuss coercive tactics that are used by traffickers to manipulate, threaten or force victims into using substances or being drugged. The program will discuss trauma-informed evidence-based treatments for those abusing substances while being trafficked. VA subject matter experts on veteran intimate partner violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and trauma-informed care will share the treatment models created for best practices through veteran case studies. Participants will be provided with resources and services offered at the VA.
Presentation Objectives:
· Explain how substance use impacts the risks and outcomes of those experiencing human trafficking
· Identify strategies for ethical decision-making, including privacy and confidentiality, when providing services to individuals impacted by human trafficking
· Describe the VA treatment models created for best practices in providing trauma-informed care
· Discuss specific needs of veterans who are trafficked