Program Evaluation

Current as of:

Background

One of our key values is to be results-driven by evaluating our programs with accountability, identifying effective strategies, and integrating them into our policies and practices. In addition to our work with grantees to regularly monitor program performance, OTIP partners with the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation to assess key questions on program implementation according to ACF's Evaluation Policy.

 

GPRA Measures

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 requires Federal agencies to set goals, measure results, and report their progress in achieving program objectives based on projected percentage changes. The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) reports annually to Congress on a select set of indicators of program performance including:

  1. Certification and Eligibility: Increase the number of victims of trafficking certified per year through HHS Certification and Eligibility Letters.
  2. Infographic showing GPRA measures; accessible version available at /otip/resource/gpraService Provision to Foreign Victims: Increase the number of foreign trafficking victims served by a whole network of grantees.
  3. Service Provision to Domestic Victims: Increase the number of domestic trafficking victims served by a whole network of grantees.
  4. Victim Identification: Increase the number of potential trafficking victims identified by the National Human Trafficking Hotline .
  5. Survivor Engagement: Increase the number of incoming communications received from victims and survivors of human trafficking by the Hotline.
  6. Training Impact: Increase the percentage of individuals trained who have high or very high confidence in their ability to identify and respond to human trafficking after receiving SOAR to Health and Wellness training through the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC).

Additionally, OTIP reports on the total number of individuals who receive training through NHTTAC and the total number of incoming communications received by the Hotline. GPRA measures represent a sample of the information OTIP collects to assess and improve program performance. The most recent data and information about the OTIP GPRA measures are available in the President’s Budget Justification to Congress available through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget (OLAB).

Current ACF Evaluation Projects

Evaluation of Trafficking Victim Assistance Program

This program assessment aims to address the following goals:

  1. Gain in-depth knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the current per capita funding allocation method
  2. Gain in-depth knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the current regional grant structure
  3. Determine if efficiencies can be gained through improved coordination of services and/or merger of different federal trafficking programs
  4. Identify potential alternative funding or grant structure strategies that would address the needs of the target population (i.e., foreign national victims of human trafficking)

Qualitative data (i.e., key informant interviews and focus groups) will be used to address the first, second, and fourth goals of the study. The qualitative component of the assessment will involve (1) key informant interviews with a sample of fiscal year (FY) 2016 TVAP grantees and subrecipients (e.g., grant administrators, case managers, and service referral contacts) and (2) focus groups with a sample of TVAP subrecipients with extensive knowledge of trafficking-related grants or funding allocation models. This project will also include focus groups with select federal stakeholders.

Past ACF Evaluation Projects