Journal of Human Trafficking
Volume 4, Issue 3, 2018, Pages 256-269

Identifying Gaps in Human Trafficking Mental Health Service Provision (Article)

Powell C. , Asbill M. , Louis E. , Stoklosa H.*
  • a Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
  • b School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, United States
  • c Counseling and Human Development Services, University of Georgia, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • d Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Human trafficking is a global concern resulting in complex, long-lasting mental health consequences for survivors. The U.S. nongovernmental sector has emerged as a key service provider in facilitating and directly providing comprehensive services for survivors, including crucial mental health services. This study aimed to better understand barriers to and potential improvements for human trafficking survivor mental health service delivery by applying a deductive framework analysis to semi-structured interviews with 15 U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations. Analysis of interview data underscored key challenges, including extensive and complex human trafficking survivor mental health needs, limited service provider capacity, and a fragmented multisector response. Themes for strategies to improve mental health service delivery included improved multisector collaboration as well as increasing mental health professional capacity through human trafficking–specific training. Implications and recommendations to improve comprehensive, trauma-informed, and client-centered human trafficking survivor care, including future research directions, are discussed. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

Mental health Health Health services Human trafficking trauma-informed care

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85053337371&doi=10.1080%2f23322705.2017.1362936&partnerID=40&md5=b1096c89ccbd04e27924271fc5fc11f8
DOI: 10.1080/23322705.2017.1362936
ISSN: 23322705
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English