Safe Houses and Other Services

What happens if someone thinks I have experienced human trafficking?

If someone thinks you may have experienced human trafficking, a child protective investigator or a case manager may want to meet with you to talk about your experiences. This is so that if you have experienced human trafficking or are in a situation where you are likely to experience human trafficking, they can try to help you. You should be allowed to talk to them in a private place where you feel comfortable and safe. If you start to feel uncomfortable while answering their questions, you can ask for a break or ask to speak to them later.

If the investigator or case manager says I have experienced human trafficking, what happens next?

There will be a meeting called a “multidisciplinary team” staffing (MDT). The people who attend this meeting should include the child protective investigator and/or case manager, a DCF attorney, your attorney if you have one, your family and other adult connections you have (if it is safe for them to know information about you), and most importantly—you! Other people that can attend include service providers (such as counselors) and school staff.

At this meeting, people involved in your case will get together to talk about things you need and make a plan for how to help you. They will also talk about what kind of placement is right for you and where you should live. There will be other MDTs in the future to talk about how you are doing and decide if there are other things that can be done to help you.

Can I get help with my mental health if I have experienced human trafficking?

Yes. You can get services like counseling, therapy, and substance abuse treatment. You can ask to go to counseling or therapy that is designed specifically for young people who have experienced human trafficking. You can also ask if a “survivor mentor” is available. A survivor mentor is a person who has also experienced human trafficking and has done training to be able to help you.

Can I get help with my medical health if I have experienced human trafficking?

Yes. If you need medical treatment while in foster care, you can get help like going to the doctor for a basic physical exam, going to the dentist, pregnancy testing, birth control, STD treatment, and more. For more information on getting medical treatment in foster care, see the MEDICAL HEALTH section of FosterPower. Scrappy Tip: If you are not comfortable seeing a doctor that is a certain gender, you can tell your case manager or the person scheduling your appointments your preference.

Do youth who have experienced human trafficking have the right to an attorney?

If you are in foster care and have experienced human trafficking, the court MUST appoint an attorney to you. The kind of attorney who represents youth in foster care in dependency cases is called an attorney ad litem.

If I have experienced human trafficking, who decides where I will live when I’m in foster care?

At the MDT meeting, the people involved in your life will talk about what kind of placement is right for you and where you should live. To decide if you should live in a certain placement, they will talk about whether the placement can give you the things you need, how likely you are to stay in the placement (and not run away), where the placement is located, who is in your support system, and more.

The law says you should live in the least-restrictive, most family-like setting that is able to support you and provide the things you need. Some survivors of human trafficking live with safe family members. Others live with foster families. Survivors who need more protection from their traffickers and/or specialized services sometimes live in safe houses. Survivors who need a lot of help with their mental health sometimes live in therapeutic group homes or residential treatment centers.

What is a safe house or safe foster home?

Safe houses are places where multiple youth who have experienced sex trafficking can live. Safe houses usually have house parents as well as trained staff members who are awake and ready to help 24 hours a day.

Safe foster homes are family homes where a young person who has experienced sex trafficking can live. Unlike safe houses, safe foster homes have foster parents. They do not have staff, and they do not need to have someone awake all night.

Both safe houses and safe foster homes must follow important rules to keep youth safe. For example, the location of every safe house must be kept confidential. Usually, only the people who work there, your case manager, and your attorney are allowed to know the address. Many safe houses also have a locked entrance to the property (such as a gate at the end of the driveway that only opens with a special code).  Staff in safe houses and foster parents in safe foster homes must also go through special training so they know how to take care of the youth that live there and keep them safe.

What should my safe house or CSEC placement do to help me?

All placements for youth who have experienced sex trafficking have to make sure youth can get the help they need. Examples of help include therapy, family counseling, treatment for sexual assault, substance abuse treatment if you need it, education that fits your specific needs, and safe and enjoyable activities. Your placement should help connect you with a mentor who has also experienced human trafficking if one is available. If you have to do an interview with law enforcement about your experience with human trafficking, or if you are going to testify against your trafficker, your placement should make sure you have “victim-witness counseling” to support you through that process. The parents or staff at your placement should also help you learn life skills and skills to get a job, and they should help you transition into a less-restrictive placement when you are ready.

Do I have a right to education if I am placed in a safe house?

Yes, safe houses are required to provide, set up, or coordinate education that meets your specific needs. This should include extra help to catch you up to your grade level if necessary. Many safe houses enroll residents in home school or Florida Virtual School and have one or more teachers come to the safe house to provide education support.

Can my caregiver at my safe house take away my cell phone?

The law says you should have as much “normalcy” as possible while you’re in foster care. This means you should have opportunities to do things that are “normal” for kids your age, like play sports or talk to friends. It is usually considered normal for a teenager to have a cell phone. However, safe houses have special rules about phones in order to keep you and the other people living there safe.

Caregivers have to use something called the “reasonable and prudent parent standard” when they make decisions for you. This means they must make decisions for you as a reasonable parent would. If a reasonable parent would take your phone, your caregiver can too. For example, if you use your phone to send inappropriate pictures, talk to strangers on the internet, or call unsafe family members, your caregiver can take your phone.

No one can throw away your property or take it and use it for themselves. If your caregiver takes your phone, they should keep it in a safe location until you can have it back. If you do not have your own phone, your caregiver should let you use their phone or a house phone to contact your lawyer, if you have one, and your case manager.

Can a safe house make me leave for breaking the rules?

Safe houses are not supposed to make you leave for the following reasons unless your behavior is threatening the safety or stability of the other youth living there:

• Running away from the safe house;

• Non-violent behavior that is against the law (violent behavior that breaks the law is looked at on a case-by-case basis);

• Trying to recruit other youth to participate in sex trafficking;

• Violent behaviors that do not put other people in danger;

• Mental health diagnoses (unless the placement can’t give you the help you need); or

• Using drugs sometimes (unless it is heavy drug use or you need detox).

However, many safe houses will ask the Department to move you to a different placement if you do any of the behaviors listed above. If they say that your behaviors are threatening the safety or stability of the other youth living there, you will probably be moved.