Federal law requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to:
- Establish and carry out programs to increase public awareness, particularly among potential victims of trafficking, of the dangers of trafficking and the protections that are available for victims of trafficking (22 U.S.C. 7104(b)).
- Provide human trafficking training to health care and social service providers (42 U.S.C. 300d-54(a)).
- Provide training to federal, state, and local officials to improve identification and protection of trafficking victims (22 U.S.C. 7105(c)(4)).
The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the Administration for Children and Families supports the implementation of these requirements by developing and maintaining a national human trafficking awareness campaign and delivering training and technical assistance to federal, state, and local officials, as well as frontline professionals who may interact with individuals at risk of or affected by human trafficking. Additionally, OTIP coordinates across HHS and the broader federal government to enhance the reach and effectiveness of these initiatives, leveraging collective resources and expertise to maximize impact.
Human Trafficking Overview
Human trafficking is a crime and public health concern that affects individuals, families, and communities. Cases of human trafficking have been reported in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
Training and Technical Assistance
OTIP’s National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) delivers training and technical assistance to professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, child welfare, public health, education, social services, and other systems who support people at risk for or who have experienced trafficking.
Look Beneath the Surface
The HHS Look Beneath the Surface campaign provides people who are at-risk of or experiencing human trafficking with information about human trafficking, how to identify potential human trafficking schemes, and how to access support.