December/January 2018Vol. 18, No. 9Evaluating Service Models for Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking

A recent brief from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes the service models of the first cohort of programs that implemented the Evaluation of Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking (DVHT) Demonstration Project. This cross-site evaluation took place from October 2014 through September 2016 in Maricopa and Pima Counties, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; and New York City and included five primary components: assessment, partnership expansion, case management expansion, project implementation, and evaluation.  

The goals of the evaluation included the following:

• Build capacity to better identify and serve victims of severe forms of human trafficking
• Promote collaborations and partnerships that enhance the community response to human trafficking
• Promote effective, culturally appropriate, trauma-informed services that improve the short- and long-term health, safety, and well-being of victims of human trafficking
• Develop networks to expand access to services
• Identify service needs for domestic victims of severe forms of human trafficking and improve their access to services and benefits

The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach that included interviews with project staff and partners, case narrative interviews with case managers, observation of project partnership meetings, and review of project documents and materials to gather data on each site's program.

Findings from the DVHT project suggest that this initial cohort successfully collaborated with community partners to conduct outreach and training, identify survivors, provide comprehensive case management and direct services, and connect clients to resources and services in their communities. In addition, although the programs shared some similarities, the lead organizations had diverse backgrounds, target populations, and partnerships, which resulted in the implementation of unique approaches to service delivery.

The brief, Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking Demonstration Projects: Service Models of the First Cohort of Projects, is available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/domestic-victims-of-human-trafficking-demonstration-projects-service-models-of-the-first-cohort-of-projects.