National Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program FY 2012

 
It is my pleasure to announce that USCRI was awarded the National Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  The National Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program provides comprehensive case management services to victims of a severe form of human trafficking on a per capita basis.  USCRI will be assuming the trafficking victim assistance per capita program in the following Department of Health and Human Services Regions: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  This area includes the following states: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, HI, IA, ID, KS, LA, MD, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, and WY.  In addition, the program will serve the following territories: American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.  If you are a service provider and are located in one of our geographic areas, you may apply to join our nationwide network of service providers; please call (800) 307-4712 or email traffickingvictims@uscridc.org.

USCRI’s network of providers includes organizations located across the country with extensive experience working on some of the country’s most notable human trafficking cases. Administering the nationwide program is a team of five highly qualified individuals, all with advanced degrees, possessing years of experience in human trafficking and related services.

USCRI also congratulates Heartland Human Care Services and Tapestri, the other two Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program awardees.  Heartland Human Care Services will be covering Regions 1, 2 and 5 which includes the states of CT, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, RI, VT,  WI, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  Tapestri will be covering Region 4 in AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN.  Like USCRI, these organizations have staff experienced in human trafficking to assist you in applying to be a service provider.  Please contact Heartland Human Care Services at (800) 837-5345 or Tapestri at (404) 299-2185 if you are located within their geographic areas.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines “Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons” as:
• Sex Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person forced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years; or,

• Labor Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

If you believe you are a victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at (888) 3737-888.  If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants is a Washington, DC area based nonprofit organization, dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide by advancing fair and humane public policy, facilitating and providing direct professional services, and promoting the full participation of refugees and immigrants in community life.
Sincerely,
 
Lavinia Limon
USCRI President and CEO

With questions contact:  Tricia Swartz at 1-800-307-4712 or traffickingvictims@uscridc.org
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, 2231 Crystal Drive Suite 350, Arlington, VA 22202-3794, (703) 310-1130, www.Refugees.org