OTIP-Funded Education and Training

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)). As part of these efforts, OTIP funds local educational agencies, working in partnership with nonprofits or non-government organizations, to develop and implement programs that prevent trafficking through the Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education (HTYPE) Demonstration Program. These programs provide skills-based training for educators, other school staff, and students. The programs also support the creation of Human Trafficking School Safety Protocols (HTSSP) to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of staff and students.

HTYPE Demonstration Program recipients have trained over 22,500 educators and other school staff and more than 81,000 students at 1,560 participating schools. Through implementation of the HTSSP, 278 students were identified as potential victims of human trafficking.

Fiscal year (FY) 2021 marked the first year of the HTYPE Demonstration Program. During its first award year, recipients refined their school-specific curricula and established their HTSSPs. In FY 2022, recipients began training students and educators and implementing their HTSSPs. 

Federal law requires HHS to establish the SOAR to Health and Wellness Training program to provide training to health care and social service providers on human trafficking (42 U.S.C. 300d-54(a)) and to provide training to federal, state, and local officials to improve identification and protection of trafficking victims (22 U.S.C. 7105(c)(4)). Many state laws also require trainings on human trafficking for licensed health care providers who may use the SOAR National Training Program. 

OTIP provides such trainings through various initiatives, including:

SOAR National Training Program: This nationally recognized, accredited training program is delivered by OTIP’s National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center. It trains health care and social service providers to identify and respond to individuals at risk of, currently experiencing, or who have experienced trafficking, and connect them with needed resources.

SOAR Training Demonstration Program: This program funds two organizations to deliver SOAR trainings and increase staff capacity to identify, treat, and respond to patients or clients at risk for, currently experiencing, or who have experienced human trafficking. As shown in the table below, during the program’s first year, recipients trained providers and established a continuum of care in their service areas.