Evidence-Based Practice: Developing a Trauma-Informed Lens to Case Management for Victims of Human Trafficking

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate program adherence, process factors, and success of human trafficking case management services in an agency providing services to international human trafficking victims as there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of services for this population; however, using a trauma-informed lens has been suggested by other researchers (see Mary & Johns, 2011). As such, this paper describes services provided to international victims of human trafficking in an upstate New York facility and outlines the use of a trauma-informed lens in conjunction with a client-centered approach to delivering case management to persons who have experienced human trafficking. External evaluators were used to conduct a process evaluation of the case management services in a single agency. Evaluation of adherence to the program’s service protocol used a deductive approach to identify if the service providers (case managers and program director) followed the seven principles of trauma-informed care (TIC) in their practice. Modes of examining for TIC indicators included participant observation, content analysis of case folders, and other paperwork utilized within the agency as well as conversations with case managers and the program director. Findings indicate that a trauma-informed lens was successfully implemented, and the small-scale preliminary feedback from clients (N = 7) is that they feel safe, respected, and confident to live independently in an environment of their choosing.