Using School-Based Health Programs to Prevent Human Trafficking: The Mount Sinai Experience

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Public Health
• Human Trafficking Prevention

Background:

• School-based health centers (SBHCs) are strategically positioned to address human trafficking due to their accessibility to students with identified risk factors.
• Risk factors include homelessness, history of maltreatment, substance use, LGBTQ-identification, disabilities, and involvement with child welfare or juvenile justice systems.
• The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center model demonstrates comprehensive services, including medical, sexual, reproductive, educational, and mental health support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the role of SBHCs in preventing, identifying, and intervening in cases of human trafficking among students.
• To highlight how SBHCs can disrupt the progression to trafficking by addressing risk factors.
• To emphasize the importance of on-site health services for trafficked youth and raising awareness within schools.

Main Methods:

• Review of the potential of SBHCs as sites for human trafficking prevention.
• Analysis of student risk factors commonly found in school populations.
• Examination of the integrated health services model provided by SBHCs.

Main Results:

• SBHCs can identify and address risk factors that predispose students to human trafficking.
• On-site health services can meet the needs of trafficked youth, including treatment for STIs and mental health issues.
• School-based awareness programs can empower students to recognize and report trafficking recruitment.

Conclusions:

• Accessible, adolescent-friendly, and trafficking-aware services located in schools are vital for preventing, identifying, and intervening in human trafficking.
• SBHCs offer a unique and effective platform for safeguarding students from exploitation.
• Integrating health services within schools is a key strategy for combating human trafficking in vulnerable youth populations.