The Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) represents the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in federal partnerships, most notably on the Senior Policy Operating Group of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (PITF).
The PITF consists of 15 departments and agencies responsible for coordinating U.S. government-wide efforts to combat trafficking in persons.
OTIP is part of the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG), which has four standing committees:
- Victims Services
- Research and Data
- Grant making
- Public Awareness and Outreach
We also partner with other federal agencies and departments to improve the government’s coordination of services and better understand the needs of survivors and those at risk of human trafficking.
Housing and Social Services for Survivors of Trafficking
HHS and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development address the need for housing and social services for survivors of trafficking through national listening sessions and policy development.
This partnership brings social service and housing providers together to:
- Understand the challenges in meeting the needs of survivors and those at risk of trafficking for safe and appropriate housing and support services
- Recognize best practices in housing and support services for trafficking survivors
- Help identify potential changes in policy, technical assistance, outreach, or other areas to help providers to meet the needs of this population
Youth Engagement and Awareness
HHS and the U.S. Department of Education partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States and President Lincoln's Cottage to develop an advocacy toolkit that encourages young people to raise awareness about human trafficking through student voices, activism, and advocacy.
The goals of the partnership are to:
- Increase youth engagement in preventing and ending human trafficking
- Raise public awareness about the issue of human trafficking
Employment and Training for Survivors of Human Trafficking
One of the critical elements of a survivor’s recovery and the prevention of re-victimization is their ability to find and keep a job. However, this population faces unique barriers to employment.
HHS and the Departments of Justice and Labor seek to:
- Identify existing service programs designed for general populations but that survivors could access
- Build on existing relationships between federal and local entities
- Develop employment and training focused networks between victim service providers and existing resources at a local level
- Work with the Department of Labor Chief Evaluation Office to disseminate information on promising practices and key challenges in service delivery for this population