HEALTHCARE SUBCOMMITTEE  
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​The Healthcare Subcommittee was formed in early 2018. Research has identified the healthcare setting as a key place of identification and intervention for survivors of trafficking. This subcommittee aims to better identify and serve survivors of human trafficking in all healthcare settings (hospitals, urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, federally qualified health centers, etc.) through the training of healthcare workers, protocol development, advocacy, technical assistance, and the sharing of best practices and referral mechanisms to service providers of the task force. The members of this subcommittee represent several healthcare systems across the Chicagoland area and includes dedicated medical, nursing, allied health and social work professionals who are working collaboratively to improve the healthcare response to survivors of human trafficking.
 
For more information, see the Healthcare Subcommittee Scope of Work.

Hospital Outreach Packet

In 2018, the Healthcare Subcommittee distributed hospital packets to 99 hospitals in and around Cook County. The documents in this packet included the public notice mandate, a fact sheet that describes the intersection of human trafficking and the healthcare field, a model medical protocol, a list of training resources, a list of service providers in the area and a flowchart to assist with referring to the appropriate services. 

Training Request Form


​This form is for Healthcare Subcommittee members to fill out upon receiving requests from area healthcare providers to conduct human trafficking training. This form should be completed for each request received by trainers listed in the Training Resources document as a result of having received a hospital outreach packet in 2018. The collection of this data will help the subcommittee measure the impact of this specific outreach. 

Research and Resources

This section includes an annotated bibliography with relevant published research on the issue of human trafficking in the healthcare setting as well as resources for healthcare professionals to better identify and respond to human trafficking in the healthcare setting. This includes guides for nurses, screening and assessment tools, and brochures and pocket cards for healthcare professionals.

Read the article: Human Trafficking in the ED - What you need to know

Human trafficking is a devastating crime, where a human being’s labor is exploited through force, fraud, or coercion, for someone else’s profit. For survivors, connecting to support in the community can be incredibly difficult, and may come at the expense of their personal safety.

The emergency department (ED) is a rare exception, with some studies estimating that over 60% of trafficked persons will present at some point during their exploitation to the ED. Unfortunately, less than 5% of emergency physicians report feeling confident in their ability to identify a trafficked person, citing confusion around patient characteristics and their role as a provider.

By learning more about human trafficking, ED providers can better prepare themselves to identify and provide appropriate support to those who experience human trafficking.

-HEAL Trafficking