Case Management and Coordinated Care for Victims of Human Trafficking: Early findings from a mixed methods process evaluation

• In Event: Evaluation Strategies for Programs that Identify and Serve Victims of Human Trafficking

Abstract

Human trafficking victims experience severe trauma and have complex needs. Despite great demand for high quality services, there exists a dearth of evidence on “what works” for trafficking victims. We present early findings from a mixed methods process evaluation of six federally-funded demonstration projects providing coordinated case management and comprehensive services to victims. Data include key informant interviews with providers, and client-level data on characteristics, service delivery and well-being indicators. We conducted narrative interviews with case managers to understand clients’ experiences without inducing additional trauma, and as an additional data source on service delivery.

Early findings indicate that victims of human trafficking are challenging to engage in programming; face multiple and intersecting hardships, and seek emergency assistance more readily than long-term services. Case management for victims of human trafficking requires extensive time, effort, and persistence. Clients are often transient, difficult to contact, and exit and reenter services multiple times; accessing public services requires resolute efforts; and needs and goals change frequently. Case managers build rapport in multiple ways, empower clients to define their own goals, and provide structure and consistency. They describe clients’ successes in terms of increased self-esteem, achieving personal goals, and reducing risky behaviors.

Authors

• Kathleen Krieger, RTI International

• Jennifer Hardison Walters, RTI International

• Deborah Gibbs, RTI International