In October 2023, child welfare leaders, researchers, caseworkers, advocates, and foster care alumni convened for a two-day Think Tank event. The event elevated the voices of lived experts to identify promising practices and barriers. This Chapin Hall report documents the proceedings, highlighting the themes that emerged as participants described the importance of permanent connections and what systems can do to foster healing relationships for emerging adults in care. The report also summarizes the key values that guided the planning process, and how those values were demonstrated in inclusive, youth-centered, trauma-informed practices throughout the Think Tank.

A job can have a profound effect on someone’s well-being. A good job creates financial stability, can make a person feel more secure, and help them plan for the future. And when workers have a voice and opportunities to learn and grow, good jobs promote a sense of belonging. In May of 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) launched a new webpage devoted to young people’s mental health needs. This webpage emphasizes that the workforce system is an important partner in supporting the mental health of young people, and that good jobs are a critical component of well-being and security. The DOL is committed to equipping the workforce system with resources and connections to ensure that youth employment programs are a bridge to the wellness services young people need.

The National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics is hosting a webinar on July 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss the importance of and strategies for supporting families during pregnancy and the first year of life. Presenters will share how TANF funds are being used to provide cash to families and talk about RxTalks, a no-strings-attached program in Flint, Michigan that is currently providing cash to 700 families.

Just Science hosted a Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project mini season and sat down with RTI International in episode two of the podcast to discuss a project which focuses on economic empowerment for those who have experienced human trafficking. For those who have experienced human trafficking, economic or financial consequences are often inextricably linked to their trafficking experience and may leave those people without the skills, resources, or social capital to meet their needs in the community. As part of the project, researchers are developing a guide to help service providers understand fundamentals and important considerations of implementing economic empowerment programs for people who have experienced human trafficking, including programming related to financial education, financial abuse, and supporting employment. This podcast episode describes promising practices related to economic empowerment programming for people who have experienced human trafficking, the experience of incorporating trauma-informed practices in human trafficking research, and recommendations for other researchers interested in this work.

The understanding of how child welfare agencies identify youth who have experienced human trafficking (or are at increased risk for experiencing human trafficking) is somewhat limited. In an effort to address this knowledge gap, the Identifying and Addressing Human Trafficking in Child Welfare Agencies (IAHT) study conducted interviews with state child welfare leaders from 25 states about how their agencies work to identify and serve children and youth who have experienced or are at increased risk of trafficking. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief describes human trafficking screening tools currently being used by state child welfare agencies that participated in the IAHT study, as well as key themes that arose from interviews with these state child welfare leaders regarding considerations for screening tool selection and protocols.

In recognition of World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence, the Administration for Children and Families announced the launch of two new microlearnings developed for frontline professionals who work with children to strengthen screening for human trafficking and safety planning. As children who have already experienced abuse are at disproportionate risk for human trafficking through coercive online and offline schemes, professionals in child welfare and other youth-serving programs are in positions to identify the risks for exploitation early, promote healing, and strengthen resiliency. These are the new offerings:

• Human Trafficking Screening for Child Welfare Professionals
• Safety Planning and Multidisciplinary Response for Child Welfare Professionals

The 30-minute modules are designed to be quick, digestible, and interactive trainings for busy professionals. Their content is intended to support personnel in their everyday work of preventing and responding to human trafficking among children and youth — in foster care and in the broader community.

Unmet mental health needs may increase the risk of human trafficking, and trauma from trafficking victimization contributes to a wide range of adverse mental or behavioral health conditions. Studies show that individuals who have experienced trafficking may exhibit signs of anxiety, emotional numbness, memory loss, and depression. They may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a dependence on substance or alcohol use, and/or eating disorders. The consequences of trafficking can be long-lasting, impacting the individual and interpersonal relationships, and potentially resulting in intergenerational cycles of victimization. Trauma-informed mental health care should be person-centered and culturally appropriate, empowering patients with the agency to make choices that work best for their recovery. This Administration for Children and Families resource highlights resources on the importance of providing individuals who have experienced trafficking with access to trauma-informed, person-centered mental health treatment, including the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking’s inaugural report.

The Office on Trafficking in Persons established the Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities (VHT-NC) Program to address the critical need for support for Native American people who have experienced human trafficking. The program aims to build, expand, and sustain organizational and community capacity to deliver services to Native American people who have experienced human trafficking. In 2020, six VHT-NC projects were awarded three-year grants to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed participant outreach and identification, comprehensive case management and service provision, and training to respond to human trafficking in their communities. This 2024 Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief explores the impact of the pandemic on the implementation of programs specifically designed to address human trafficking in Native communities. This analysis includes the following ways that COVID-19 impacted VHT-NC program implementation: (1) staffing and organizational challenges, (2) increased vulnerability to human trafficking in the community, (3) barriers to participant identification, (4) partnership and collaboration challenges, and (5) barriers to service delivery.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations have an exemplary tradition of military service and sacrifice, serving at one of the highest rates per capita of any ethnic group. AI/AN Veterans are disproportionately impacted by suicide. A culturally centered comprehensive public health approach is needed to incorporate, respect, and elevate Indigenous Knowledge and build on the strengths of Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) and their communities.

This Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration webinar will take place on August 6, 2024 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET to illustrate the power of traditions and cultural practices in healing. For example, many communities hold ceremonies when service members leave for their service and again when they return. Practices like sweat lodges, talking circles, honor songs, and drumming all work to heal the mind, body, and soul.

Human services practitioners often find themselves at the forefront of trauma. From abuse and neglect to violence and displacement, human services practitioners play a critical role in supporting the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of the people they serve. While it is widely recognized that trauma is a reality for many individuals seeking support within the human services sector, what’s often forgotten is the well-being of the very staff who provide that support. This American Public Human Services Association resource explores trauma-informed approaches to human services and the implications for the workforce.