In the year 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed at the federal level redefining human trafficking in the United States and initiating new efforts to address human trafficking. Since then, many new federal and state laws, policies, funding streams, and projects have been adopted in an effort to create and support a comprehensive system of care to identify and provide short and long term services for children and adults who have experienced human trafficking. Mental health providers are a vital part of that comprehensive system of care. This presentation will provide foundational information on human trafficking pertinent to clinicians, identification and reporting considerations, and resources to support this work. It will also highlight a recent project aimed at integrating policies, practices, and strategies addressing mental and behavioral health and human trafficking.
