Authority
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The National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States (hereinafter referred to as the National Advisory Committee) is established pursuant to Section 121 of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Pub. L. 113–183). The formation and operation of the National Advisory Committee are governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of federal advisory committees.
Objectives and Scope of Activities
The Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Acting Assistant Secretary, Administration of Children and Families (ACF) and Director, Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), under Section 121 of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, is required to establish the National Advisory Committee to address the Nation’s response to the trafficking of children and youth in the United States.
Description of Duties
The National Advisory Committee shall:
- Advise on the development and implementation of successful interventions with children and youth who are exposed to conditions that make them vulnerable to, or victims of, sex trafficking
- Make recommendations for administrative or legislative changes necessary to use programs, properties, or other resources owned, operated, or funded by the Federal Government to provide safe housing for children and youth who are sex trafficking victims
- Develop 2-tiers of recommended best practices for States to follow in combating the sex trafficking of children and youth based on multidisciplinary research and promising, evidence-based models and programs, including sample training materials, protocols, and screening tools to identify victims of trafficking and those at risk for trafficking; multidisciplinary strategies to identify victims, manage cases, and improve services; sample protocols and recommendations for cross-system collaborations; criteria and guidelines for safe residential placement for foster children who have been sex trafficked; and training guidelines for caregivers serving children and youth outside the home
- Share best practices and recommendations with State Governors and child welfare agencies
Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports
The National Advisory Committee shall provide advice and guidance to the Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General of the United States. The Committee shall prepare and submit an interim report to the Secretary, Attorney General, and Congress within 3 years after the establishment of the Committee and a final report within 4 years after the establishment of the Committee.
Support
Management and support services shall be provided by the HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
Estimated Annual Operating Cost and Staff Years
Estimated annual cost for operating the committee, including travel expenses for members but excluding staff support, is $196,000. Estimate of annual person-years of staff support is required is 0.40 at an estimated annual cost of $72,975. Therefore, the total for operating the committee and staff support is an estimated $268,975.
Designated Federal Officer
The Director of OTIP shall serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO). The Secretary shall call to order meetings of the Committee; the Secretary may delegate responsibility to call to order meetings and general administrative oversight of the Committee to the DFO. The DFO will attend each Committee meeting and ensure that all procedures are within applicable statutory, regulatory, and HHS General Administration Manual Directives. The DFO may be authorized to approve all meeting agendas, in consultation with the Committee Chair, call all of the Committee and subcommittee meetings to order, adjourn all meetings when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings, as delegated by the Secretary. The DFO or his/her designee shall be present at all meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings
Meetings shall be held at a minimum of twice per year, at the call of the Secretary, in consultation with the Committee Chair.
Meetings shall be open to the public except as determined by the Secretary, HHS, or other official to whom the authority has been delegated in accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 522b(c)) and Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act; notice of all meetings shall be given to the public.
Duration
The National Advisory Committee is authorized for a period of 5 years from the date of establishment. 42 USC 1314b(g)
Termination
The National Advisory Committee shall terminate 5 years after the date of its establishment. Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the charter for the National Advisory Committee will expire two years from the date it is filed.
Membership and Designation
The National Advisory Committee will be composed of not more than 21 members, including the Chairperson, whose diverse experience and background enable them to provide balanced points of view with regard to carrying out the duties of the Committee. The members and chairperson shall be selected by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Attorney General and National Governors Association. At least one (1) Committee member shall be a former sex trafficking victim, two (2) Committee members shall be a Governor of a State, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Democratic Party and one of whom shall be a member of the Republican Party. The members will be selected from among advocacy and victim service organizations, survivors of human trafficking (child survivors at least 18 years of age), child welfare representatives, state, tribal and local government human services officials, health and mental health representatives, law enforcement, juvenile and youth development specialists, educators, the entertainment and gaming industries, and the business community. These individuals will be appointed as representative members. There will be no special or regular government employees or ex-officio members.
The Secretary, HHS, or designee, shall appoint one (1) of the members to serve as the Chairperson and another member to serve as the Vice Chairperson.
Members will be appointed to serve for the five year life of the Committee. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which a member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A vacancy in the Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made with replacement Committee member being secured from a list of alternates identified during the initial selection process.
Subcommittees
Subcommittees may be established with the approval of the Secretary or designee. Subcommittees will be composed of members of the parent committee. Subcommittees shall report back to and make recommendations to be deliberated by the parent committee. The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified upon establishment of each Subcommittee and will be provided information on its name, membership, function, and estimated frequency of meetings.
Recordkeeping
The records of the Committee, established subcommittees, or other subgroups shall be managed in accordance with the General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records, or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5.U.S.C. 552.