DOW Healthcare Personnel Training

New research shows that human trafficking is a health issue. Victims of human trafficking often have serious physical and mental health problems, including acute and chronic illnesses, injuries from violence, and impairments such as substance use disorders. A landmark study in 2014 found that 87.8% of survivors sought health care while they were trapped in the trafficking situation giving healthcare providers, particularly those in hospitals and healthcare centers, the ability to be first responders. Therefore, they must be able to identify the signs and indicators of human trafficking and respond effectively. This specialized training addresses issues not found in general trainings on human trafficking including signs and indicators of trafficking in the chief complaint, medical history, and medical exam, how to respond when trafficking is suspected or uncovered, including treatment, referral, reporting, and follow-up, and best practices for health providers who have direct contact with patients. There is a companion Toolkit that may be accessed outside of the training for those that want quick access to training resources.