Become a Partner in a Local Collaborative

Types of Collaboratives

Communities throughout the United States have coordinated Anti-Trafficking efforts on the local level using a variety of strategies. One of the most comprehensive and effective strategies involves two types of work groups or collaboratives working together to stop human trafficking within a jurisdiction and rescue and restore trafficking victims. These collaboratives can be described as follows:

  • Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) or Anti-Trafficking Task Forces. This type of work group involves participation from professionals who may influence policy and procedures related to the identification of trafficking situations, the prosecution of traffickers, and the protection and restoration of victims. The most successful work groups include representatives from U.S. Attorney's Offices, local and state law enforcement representatives, government officials, local victim service providers, immigration organizations and others concerned with human trafficking.
  • Trafficking Victim Service Networks or Service Collaboratives. This type of work group involves participation of service providers from a variety of different settings who work together to develop a comprehensive strategy to meet the needs of victims once they are rescued from their trafficking situation. Participants in this type of work group include providers from local shelters, legal assistance and immigration advocacy groups, programs, victim services, mental health, medical providers, law enforcement, and translation service providers.

How to Partner

Join with agencies in your area that are already working on the issue of human trafficking or, if no such agencies or work groups have been established, work to create one in your city.

  • Step 1: Contact the trafficking service providers in your area to learn how you can help.
  • Step 2: Contact the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for your district. The USAO usually takes a leadership role because of their connectedness with the other parties involved. They can help establish multidisciplinary collaboratives.
  • Step 3: Contact local immigrant or victim service providers. These can help establish both types of collaboratives.
  • Step 4: Contact a federal grantee (see Step 1) to learn how to establish local collaboratives.

Seek Funding to Support your Anti-Trafficking Efforts

You and your collaborative partners may consider applying for funding to support your anti-trafficking efforts, such as outreach to potential victims, victim services and educating the public about human trafficking.

Most of the current anti-trafficking funding comes from the federal government. The U.S. Dept. of Justice and the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services has provided funding in the past for these types of activities and may announce new funding opportunities for which you could apply. Remember that applying for federal funding is competitive, so review the funding announcements closely. Remember also that serving trafficking victims requires collaboration among many types of agencies, therefore the strength of an application is largely determined by the strength of the collaboration submitting it. Federal funding announcements can be found at:

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr

www.grants.gov

 

 

 

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