Victims of Human Trafficking Services and Outreach Program – (VHT-SO) Pacific Region Demonstration Program

The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is announcing funds for the newly developed Victims of Human Trafficking Services and Outreach Program – (VHT-SO) Pacific Region Demonstration Program. The goal of the VHT-SO Pacific Region Demonstration Program is to directly fund local organizations located in the United States (U.S.) Pacific territories (Hawaii, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands) that will build, expand, and sustain organizational and community capacity to deliver services to adult and minor foreign nationals who have experienced a severe form of human trafficking as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended. Foreign national includes individuals who are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, parolees, refugees, or asylees. Under the VHT-SO Pacific Region Demonstration Program the following activities are required: a) provision of comprehensive, culturally and linguistically responsive, case management to foreign nationals who have experienced sex and labor trafficking; 2) outreach efforts to increase identification of foreign nationals who have experienced sex and labor trafficking; 3) training to service providers and community partners. The VHT-SO Pacific Region Demonstration Program is informed by a whole family approach that focuses equally and intentionally on services and opportunities for clients and their immediate family members living within their households. OTIP is encouraging the establishment of community partnerships, meaningful engagement of individuals who have experienced trafficking, and the hiring of qualified professionals that reflect the communities being served in all project implementation strategies. Under the VHT-SO Pacific Region Demonstration Program there is a 12-month project implementation period for the prime recipient to facilitate optional partnerships, on-board new staff, develop service protocols specific to foreign nationals who have experienced human trafficking, and develop a sustainability plan. However, clients must be served during the 12-month project implementation period.