Sec. 2. Best practices guidelines to combat trafficking of children
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Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall develop and publish guidelines to assist State, Indian tribe, and tribal organization child welfare agencies and juvenile and family courts in efforts to appropriately serve youth who are victims of trafficking (as defined in section 103(15) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000) and youth who are at-risk of becoming such a victim. In developing the guidelines, the Secretary shall consult appropriate agencies throughout the Federal Government, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Trafficking in Persons Office of the Department of State.
In developing the guidelines, the Secretary should also utilize multi-disciplinary research, evidence-based and promising models and programs, and is encouraged to include input from child welfare agencies that have developed trafficking-specific programs, juvenile and family courts, law enforcement agencies with anti-human trafficking protocols in place, runaway and homeless youth organizations, anti-human trafficking nonprofit organizations, and human trafficking survivors.
The guidelines shall include sections on the following: Sample training materials, protocols, and screening tools that prepare child welfare personnel to identify and serve youth who are victims of trafficking (as so defined) or are at-risk of becoming such a victim. Specific strategies to identify victims, manage cases, and improve services to meet the unique needs of foster youth who are also victims of trafficking (as so defined). The strategies should be comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, client-centered, strength-based, trauma-informed, and inclusive of all genders.
Sample protocols for effective, cross-system collaboration between local agencies and non-profit organizations, including child welfare, medical and health professionals, Federal, State, and local police, juvenile detention centers and courts, and runaway and homeless youth programs, schools, and organizations already serving victims of trafficking (as so defined). A list of recommendations to establish safe residential placements for foster youth who have been trafficked (as so defined) as well as training guidelines for caregivers that serve youth being cared for outside the home.
Sample protocols and recommended strategies in order to identify victims as well as collect, document, and share data across systems. Recommendations should be designed to help agencies better understand the type of trafficking involved, the scope of the problem, the specific needs of the population to be served, and the degree of victim interaction with multiple systems. Recommendations may address incorporating human trafficking designations in existing statewide automated child welfare information systems.
Recommended actions for child welfare agencies and personnel that will help to prevent foster youth from becoming victims of human trafficking.