BILL NUMBER: S8305

SPONSOR: GOLDEN
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to services for victims of human trafficking

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill will establish "culturally competent" short-term safe house
residential facilities and long-term safe house residential facilities
and services operated by not-for-profit agencies for victims of human
trafficking. The placement in these facilities shall be available for
victims of human trafficking at the initial point of contact with law
enforcement, a local social services district, or social or legal
services provider. These services shall be culturally competent to the
extent practicable to include helping these victims with services such
as case management. emergency temporary housing, health care, mental
health counseling, drug addiction screening and treatment, language
interpretation and translation services, English language instruction,
job training and placement assistance, post-employment services for job
retention, and services to assist the victim and their potential family
members the ability to establish permanent residency.
              

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 - States that section 483-aa of the social services shall be
amended to add two new subdivisions which create "short-term safe hous-
es" and "long-term safe houses." The short-term safe house will be a
residential facility operated by not-for-profit agencies with experience
in providing emergency shelter, services, and care to victims of human
trafficking including food, shelter, clothing, medical care, counseling
and crisis intervention. The long-term residential facility will also be
operated by a not-for-profit agency and will provide or assist these
victims with services through either direct provision of services or
through written agreements with other community and public agencies to
provide services such as housing, assessment, case management, medical,
legal, mental health, and substance use services. The long-term facility
will also provide counseling, therapeutic, educational services such as
life skills and job training, and placement and planning services to
transition these victims back into the community.

Section 2 - States that section 483-bb of the social services law is
amended to require the office of temporary and disability assistance to
enter into contracts with non-government organizations to provide
services to victims of human trafficking as previously defined. These
services shall be culturally competent to the extent practicable to
include helping these victims with case management, emergency temporary
housing, health care, mental health counseling, drug addiction screening
and treatment, language interpretation and translation services, English
language instruction, job training and placement assistance, post-em-
ployment services for job retention, and services to assist the victim
and their potential family establish permanent residency. The services
will also include voluntary placement in the aforementioned short or
long term safe houses.  Placement in to these safe houses shall be
available to the victim at their initial point of contact with law
enforcement, a local social services district, or social or legal
services provider. A victim of human trafficking will not be prevented
from being placed in a safe house even if they are (1) involved in a
proceeding which has not reached final disposition, for the duration of
such proceeding; (2) not involved in a pending proceeding; or (3)
participating in a program for victims of domestic violence and has been
identified as a victim of human trafficking. Further, nothing in this
article shall preclude the office of temporary and disability assistance
(OTDA), or any local social services district, from providing human
trafficking victims who are United States citizens or human trafficking
victims who meet the criteria pursuant to section one hundred twenty-two
of this chapter with any benefits or services for which they otherwise
may be eligible.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

For many survivors of human trafficking, one of their most immediate
needs is a safe, supportive place to stay. Especially for survivors who
are fleeing an exploitative work or living situation, temporary housing
may be one of the most important factors in determining whether he or
she can safely seek help. In New York State, some survivors turn to a
network of temporary shelters to meet this need.  Homeless shelters,
domestic violence shelters, and runaway and homeless youth shelters can
all help, but only if the trafficking survivor meets each shelter
system's particular eligibility requirements. Because many trafficking
survivors either may not meet these requirements or, even if they quali-
fy, may not be able to find a vacant bed or unit, it's clear that more
shelter capacity - tailored to meet the particular, culturally competent
needs of trafficking survivors - is necessary.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after it shall have become law