SOAR NOFO.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary - Office on Trafficking in Persons

SOAR to Health and Wellness Training (SOAR) Demonstration Program

HHS-2022-ACF-IOAS-OTIP-ZV-0155

Application Due Date: 07/25/2022

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Funding Opportunity Title:

SOAR to Health and Wellness Training (SOAR) Demonstration Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-IOAS-OTIP-ZV-0155

Primary CFDA Number:

93.598 Due Date for Applications:

07/25/2022 Executive Summary Notice:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. For more information on applying for grants, please visit "How to Apply for a Grant" on the ACF Grants & Funding Page at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is announcing the availability of funds for the SOAR (Stop, Observe, Ask, Respond) to Health and Wellness Training (SOAR) Demonstration Program. The SOAR Demonstration Program’s goal is to fund the implementation of SOAR trainings and capacity building to identify, treat, and respond to patients or clients who have experienced severe forms of human trafficking as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended, among their patient or client population. SOAR is a nationally recognized, accredited training program delivered by OTIP’s National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) ad designed to help target audiences identify and respond to those who are at risk of, are currently experiencing, or have experienced trafficking and connect them with needed resources. Target audiences for SOAR trainings delivered by NHTTAC include professionals, organizations, and communities that address human trafficking in healthcare, behavioral health, public health, and social services settings.

The following activities are required under the SOAR Demonstration Program:

1. Implement SOAR trainings, including SOAR Online and SOAR for Organizations, for staff at relevant levels and divisions, including at a minimum frontline and support staff most likely to encounter an individual who has experienced trafficking; mid-level and senior management who would need to approve changes in policies and protocols, and approve resources to support implementation; and staff who oversee procurement and external partners, across the prime’s organization.

2. Build the capacity of organizational staff to identify patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking and provide them with coordinated, age-appropriate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, patient-centered, and evidence-based care and/or services through ongoing training and engagement.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-individuals/soar-online https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-organizations

3. Serve patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking in a coordinated, age-appropriate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, person-centered, and evidence-based way and establish a continuum of care by entering into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with local direct service providers and multidisciplinary stakeholders willing to receive referrals and provide aftercare services that are beyond scope of the prime’s capacity or mission to support patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking.

4. Conduct an organizational audit and develop a strategic action plan that identifies internal resources, performance measures, a strategy for ensuring the organization is meaningfully integrating the expertise of those with lived experience, commitments to strengthen the institutional response to human trafficking, and other related actions.

5. Produce a situational analysis that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the local context, including state anti-trafficking laws, local economies with increased risk for human trafficking, existing service delivery gaps, risks and service needs of priority populations as determined by the prime recipients, and the quality and responsiveness of local partnerships.

6. Develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of the Human Trafficking Response Protocol (HTRP) and corresponding policies and procedures that include best practices for working with law enforcement and making referrals when serving patients or clients in service settings who have experienced human trafficking to further refine and enhance project implementation. HTRP must comply with federal, state, local, and tribal laws, including legal confidentiality requirements for patients and health care providers.

7. Participate in the external evaluation of the SOAR Demonstration Program (if applicable).

Under the SOAR Demonstration Program, prime recipients will receive SOAR training and ongoing specialized training and technical assistance support from NHTTAC. During the initial 12-month project implementation period, prime recipients must recruit, hire, and onboard new staff who will support the implementation of this project (if necessary); participate in the SOAR trainings; develop an organizational audit, situational analysis, strategic action plan, and training plan; and establish a continuum of care. Additional deliverables in the subsequent periods of performance include HTRP and corresponding policies and procedures, a continuous quality improvement plan, and a sustainability plan.

I. Program Description Statutory Authority The legislative authority for this program is sections 7104(b)(1) and 7105(b)(1)(B) of the TVPA of 2000.

Description

SOAR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Background Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of someone to perform labor or commercial sex acts through force, fraud, or coercion. Per 22 U.S.C. 7102(11) of the TVPA of 2000, as amended, severe forms of trafficking in persons means:

Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

Labor trafficking in which there is recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

When a minor, someone under the age of 18, is asked or made to perform a sex act in exchange for something of value (e.g., shelter, food, money) it is always considered a crime. There does not need to be a third party (e.g., trafficker) or evidence of force, fraud, or coercion for that minor to be identified as a victim of sex trafficking.

Individuals who experience human trafficking are often difficult to identify or assist without targeted outreach and referral efforts. Individuals who experience human trafficking can include women; men; adults; children; United States citizens; BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) peoples; foreign nationals; and/or Two-Spirit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and/or asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) persons. Evidence suggests that individuals impacted by generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination, and other societal factors and inequities are at higher risk for experiencing human trafficking. For example, the 2021 Presidential Proclamation on Human Trafficking recognizes that “[i]n addition to helping survivors on their road to recovery, we must also learn from their expertise in order to better detect trafficking crimes that are often hidden in plain sight, bring perpetrators to justice, and improve our prevention efforts. Since human trafficking disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, vulnerable migrants, and other historically marginalized and underserved communities, our mission to combat human trafficking must always be connected to our broader efforts to advance equity and justice across our society.”

In 2021, the Biden Administration published an Executive Order (EO) On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (EO 13985) to advance racial equity and support across the federal government to communities that have been historically underserved by federally funded programs. Relatedly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define the social determinants of health (SDOH) as the “conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes.”[1] Resources that enhance quality of life not only improve individual and population health, but also advance health equity.

Research consistently shows that individuals who are experiencing human trafficking seek health and behavioral health care before, during, and after their exploitation.[2] [3] They may seek care for traumatic injuries, infection, post-traumatic stress disorder, toxic exposure, substance use, depression, and other health issues related to complex trauma that require a nuanced approach by health care and behavioral health professionals.[4] In a 2016 study, researchers identified individuals who had experienced labor and sex trafficking to investigate how many encountered health care professionals. They found that 67.6 percent had encountered a health care professional during their exploitation, yet none were identified as a victim of human trafficking during these encounters.[5] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/30/a-proclamation-on-national-human-trafficking-prevention-month-2022/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/

OTIP derives its authority to raise awareness and build the capacity of health and human services professionals to prevent, identify, and respond to human trafficking from the TVPA of 2000 (Public Law 106-386), § 106(b), as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(b)(1) and 22 U.S.C.

7105(b)(1)(B). The SOAR Demonstration Program was developed in response to these legislative authorities to “increase public awareness […] of the dangers of trafficking and the protections that are available for victims of trafficking” and provide “services to assist potential victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons.” It is also responsive to the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitments in both the EO and the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (NAP). The NAP calls on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the following relevant activities:

Enhance training on identification and prevention of human trafficking (Priority Action 2.1.3: Regularly train Federal law enforcement and service provider agencies on identifying human trafficking).

Develop, validate, and implement screening protocols (Priority Area 2.1.1: Develop or update, validate, and implement screening forms and protocols).

Increase access to mental health and other healthcare services for individuals who are experiencing human trafficking (Priority Action 2.6.1: Increase access to mental health and other healthcare services).

Ensure input from individuals with lived experience in human trafficking is consistently incorporated into trainings, policies, and programs (Priority Action 4.3.2: Leverage federal survivor-consultant networks and federal training and technical assistance centers to ensure survivor input is consistently incorporated into policies and programs).

This NOFO highlights specific areas that are responsive to NAP, where appropriate.

Project Purpose The purpose of the SOAR Demonstration Program is to fund the implementation of SOAR training and capacity building to identify, treat, and respond to individuals who have experienced severe forms of human trafficking. The SOAR Demonstration Program is informed by the public health approach and the “Core Competencies for Human Trafficking Response in Healthcare and Behavioral Health Systems Report,” which outlines the necessary skillsets for service delivery professionals broadly and correspond to the following framework:

Universal Competency: Use a trauma- and survivor-informed, culturally responsive approach.

Competency 1: Understand the nature and epidemiology of trafficking.

Competency 2: Evaluate and identify the risk of trafficking.

Competency 3: Evaluate the needs of individuals who have experienced trafficking or individuals who are at risk of trafficking.

Competency 4: Provide client/patient-centered care.

Competency 5: Adhere to legal and ethical standards.

Competency 6: Integrate trafficking prevention strategies into clinical practice and systems of care.

By adopting these core competencies, service delivery professionals will increase their capacity to provide appropriate care for individuals who have experienced trafficking and prevent https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/National-Action-Plan-to-Combat-Human-Trafficking.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/National-Action-Plan-to-Combat-Human-Trafficking.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/Core%20Competencies%20Report%20%282%29.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/Core%20Competencies%20Report%20%282%29.pdf trafficking among those who are at risk of trafficking. These competencies are integrated throughout all SOAR training modules.

SOAR is a multi-tiered training program that includes standardized, accredited trainings to build the capacity of professionals, organizations, and communities to apply a public health approach to address human trafficking. SOAR is designed for professionals in behavioral health, health care, public health, and social services settings. Developed by HHS and subject matter experts with both professional and lived experience, the SOAR framework uses the latest evidence to build practitioners’ skills in identifying and responding to human trafficking.

Stop: Describe the types of trafficking and common risk factors.

Observe: Identify individual and environmental indicators of trafficking.

Ask: Screen and identify individuals who may have experienced trafficking using a trauma-informed and person-centered approach.

Respond: Address individual needs by coordinating across multidisciplinary stakeholders to deliver appropriate services.

This nationally recognized, accredited training program is maintained and updated annually with input from subject matter experts, including individuals with lived experience, the latest research from the field, and evaluation data from the in-person/online delivery of these various trainings. The continued development, delivery, and evaluation of SOAR is managed by OTIP’s National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC).

Project Objectives Under the SOAR Demonstration Program, the following activities are required:

1. Implement SOAR trainings, including SOAR Online and SOAR for Organizations, for staff at relevant levels and divisions, including at a minimum frontline and support staff most likely to encounter an individual who has experienced trafficking; mid-level and senior management who would need to approve changes in policies and protocols, and approve resources to support implementation; and staff who oversee procurement and external partners, across the prime’s organization.

2. Build the capacity of organizational staff to identify patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking and provide them with coordinated, age-appropriate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, patient-centered, and evidence-based care and/or services through ongoing training and engagement.

3. Serve patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking in a coordinated, age-appropriate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, person-centered, and evidence-based way and establish a continuum of care by entering into MOUs with local direct service providers and multidisciplinary stakeholders willing to receive referrals and provide aftercare services that are beyond scope of the prime’s capacity or mission to support patients or clients who are experiencing human trafficking.

4. Conduct an organizational audit and develop a strategic action plan that identifies internal resources, performance measures, a strategy for ensuring the organization is meaningfully integrating the expertise of those with lived experience, commitments to strengthen the institutional response to human trafficking, and other related actions.

https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/ https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-individuals/soar-online https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-organizations

5. Produce a situational analysis that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the local context, including state anti-trafficking laws, local economies with increased risk for human trafficking, existing service delivery gaps, risks and service needs of priority populations as determined by the prime recipients, and the quality and responsiveness of local partnerships.

6. Develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of HTRP and corresponding policies and procedures that include best practices for working with law enforcement and making referrals when serving patients or clients in service settings who have experienced human trafficking to further refine and enhance project implementation. HTRP must comply with federal, state, local, and tribal laws, including legal confidentiality requirements for patients and healthcare providers.

7. Participate in the external evaluation of the SOAR Demonstration Program (if applicable).

Project Scope SOAR Demonstration Program projects must implement SOAR trainings and build capacity to identify, treat, and respond to patients or clients who have experienced severe forms of human trafficking; serve those patients or clients and establish a continuum of care by entering into MOUs with local direct service providers and multidisciplinary stakeholders that can provide additional services; make appropriate referrals; and offer training to local service providers and multidisciplinary stakeholders within a continuum of care (as necessary). These projects can occur within reservations, cities, counties, or specific areas where the project will be implemented. The geographic area may cross state lines, does not need to be contiguous, and can include federally recognized tribal communities and rural areas. Prime recipients must be in the geographic area to be served by the proposed project.

Prime recipients may form a strategic partnership(s) with other organizations and multidisciplinary stakeholders within a continuum of care to achieve the SOAR Program’s objectives through subawards. If a prime recipient chooses to form a partnership(s), their principal office, or the office of the affiliate responsible for implementing and overseeing the SOAR project, must be located within the proposed project’s geographic area. The prime recipient must adhere to 45 CFR § 75.351 when formalizing partnerships with subrecipient(s). Please see Section I. SOAR Administrative Requirements, Subawards for more information.

In response to the aforementioned Priority Actions of the NAP in Section I. Program Description, Background and to avoid duplicating existing federally funded, anti-trafficking grant programs, the following three opportunities to receive bonus points are listed under Section V.I. Criteria of the SOAR Demonstration Program for applicants who:

Are public, private non-profit, or for-profit health care organization with proof of good standing: accreditation, and that they meet all applicable state, territory, and/or tribal licensure or certification requirements for the healthcare and/or behavioral health services involved;

Have formal partnerships with a local direct services provider to receive referrals and provide aftercare services to individuals experiencing human trafficking, including from systemically excluded populations; and

Provide a plan for how they will provide comprehensive case management services in-house to individuals at risk for or who have experienced human trafficking.

Guiding Principles Trauma-Informed and Person-Centered Approaches The SOAR Demonstration Program incorporates trauma-informed and person-centered approaches in building institutional responses to human trafficking that improve health outcomes and assist individuals of different racial, ethnic, cultural, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and religious backgrounds who have experienced human trafficking. A trauma-informed care model assumes that clients or patients and staff have experienced trauma. This model includes organizational change that promotes resilience in populations served and staff; engages individuals in care; prevents re-traumatization; and incorporates knowledge about trauma in policies, procedures, practices, and settings. For more information on the development of trauma-informed services and a framework for becoming a trauma-informed organization, system, or service sector, please visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-informed Approach.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards All SOAR Demonstration Program activities must adhere to the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, which are a comprehensive series of guidelines that inform and facilitate practices related to culturally and linguistically appropriate health services. Individuals who are at risk for or have experienced human trafficking come from a variety of backgrounds, speak different languages, and belong to different cultures. Prime recipients must ensure all SOAR Demonstration Program activities align with culturally and linguistically appropriate goals, policies, and management accountability and infuse these standards throughout planning and operations.

Integration and Engagement of Individuals with Lived Experience In support of NAP Priority Action 4.3.2: Leverage federal survivor-consultant networks and federal training and technical assistance centers to ensure survivor input is consistently incorporated into policies and programs, OTIP encourages prime recipients and, if applicable, subrecipients to meaningfully engage individuals with lived experience and strategically integrate their expertise when developing SOAR Demonstration Program project implementation strategies, which should include hiring qualified professionals who represent the communities they serve. Prime recipients should also incorporate the expertise of those with lived experience throughout all aspects of the development and implementation of activities related to SOAR training and provide individuals who have experienced human trafficking with opportunities to contribute to program development and activity implementation. These opportunities should provide professional growth and development and not be limited to, or heavily rely on, presentations about their human trafficking experience.

For the purposes of this NOFO, survivor engagement “includes meaningful input from a diverse community of [individuals with lived experience] at all stages of a program or project, including development, implementation, and evaluation.”[6] Individuals with lived experience should be involved in efforts including, but not limited to, the following:

Developing organization-wide policies and comprehensive anti-trafficking protocols.

https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards

Developing strategies for project implementation, victim identification, program evaluation, etc.

Developing and delivering outreach and training activities.

Building organizational capacity.

Leading or contributing to support groups and/or mentorship initiatives.

Identifying community partners.

SOAR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The SOAR Demonstration Program has three implementation phases. The first phase requires prime recipient staff to complete and participate in relevant SOAR training provided by NHTTAC. The second phase requires prime recipients to leverage the SOAR foundational training content and staff knowledge to develop and implement plans for increasing organizational and community capacity to identify and serve individuals impacted by human trafficking. In the final phase of the program, prime recipients must develop the capacity to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of human trafficking protocols, policies, and procedures when serving clients or patients in clinical settings who have experienced human trafficking and plan for the overall organizational sustainability to continue improving identification, providing trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and referring clients or patients to case management services with the community continuum of care.

If a prime recipient cannot meet the needs of a client or patient in-house, their local continuum of care is at capacity, and no other federal or state-funded direct services program can meet the needs, the prime recipient may provide urgent case management and stabilizing services to meet the emergency needs of individuals who have experienced human trafficking, such as food, clothing, or shelter, up to a limit of $10,000 per budget period.

OTIP may fund a formal evaluation of the SOAR Demonstration Program. If applicable, prime recipients must agree to participate in the formal evaluation and make available program implementation records for grant-funded activities. This includes records of activities conducted by the subrecipient(s), if applicable, and program performance data.

Phase One: SOAR Training The SOAR Demonstration Program requires the prime recipient to identify the relevant staff at all levels and, if applicable, subrecipient staff to complete individual SOAR Online training modules tailored to specific professional expertise. The prime recipient can charge salaries for the time needed to attend and complete these trainings and related activities under the SOAR Demonstration Program.

SOAR Online is jointly provided by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and HHS. The SOAR training modules are funded by OTIP and developed in collaboration with partner organizations and subject matter experts, including those with lived experience. These nationally recognized, accredited trainings discuss the SOAR framework and how to apply it where professionals work in order to identify individuals who are at risk for, currently experience, or have experienced human trafficking and connect them with the resources that they need. SOAR Online is freely accessible on the TRAIN Learning Management System and designed to educate health care providers, https://www.train.org/main/search?type=course&query=SOAR social workers, public health professionals, and behavioral health professionals on how to identify and respond appropriately to individuals who are at risk for or who have experienced trafficking. The target audiences include physicians, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, registered nurses, dentists, psychologists, social workers, case managers, school counselors, public health professionals, health education specialists, and allied health professionals. Prior to participating in SOAR for Organizations, prime recipient and, if applicable, subrecipient staff must complete (at a minimum) 2 hours of online instruction provided by the SOAR to Health and Wellness, Trauma-Informed Care, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services modules. Prime recipients may require additional modules as prerequisites for staff. Learn more about the current catalogue of foundational (101) and advanced (201) trainings that comprise SOAR Online.

After completing these training modules, prime recipients are required to identify key staff to participate in and complete the following:

The SOAR for Organizations training is designed to empower organizations to develop or adapt existing protocols, policies, and procedures to effectively identify and respond to human trafficking. The process will include learning how to conduct an organizational audit, attending at least six virtual or in-person training sessions with NHTTAC for a total of approximately 12 hours of instruction, and participating in specialized coaching for capacity building as participants work to implement the organizational commitments outlined in their strategic action plans. Training participants should anticipate up to 2 hours of prework for each training session.

Phase 2: Organizational Capacity Building and Strategic Partnerships After completing the foundational SOAR trainings, prime recipients must develop and implement the following activities:

Organizational Audit The purpose of the organizational audit is to assess for opportunities to strengthen current organizational policies and procedures related to identifying, treating, and responding to clients or patients who are or have experienced human trafficking. It must also identify internal resources and staff/teams responsible for SOAR implementation. This self-assessment must leverage existing instruments available through NHTTAC, such as the Core Competencies Self- Assessment Tool for Health Care and Behavioral Health Professionals and Organizations and the Building Survivor-Informed Organizations Toolkit. Prime recipients may propose additional assessment tools for implementation with OTIP approval.

Situational Analysis The situational analysis generates information important for achieving a thorough understanding of the local context, including state anti-trafficking laws; local industries with increased risk for human trafficking; existing health disparities and efforts to address them; existing service delivery gaps; risks and service needs of priority populations as determined by prime recipients;

and the quality and responsiveness of local partnerships. This deliverable acknowledges SDOH and is grounded in the Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention.

Strategic Action Plan https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-individuals/soar-online https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-individuals/soar-online https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/Self%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Health%20Care%20and%20Behavioral%20Health%20Professionals%20FINAL%20508.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/Self%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Health%20Care%20and%20Behavioral%20Health%20Professionals%20FINAL%20508.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/Self%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Health%20Care%20and%20Behavioral%20Health%20Organizations%20FINAL%20508.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/resources/toolkit-building-survivor-informed-organizations https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/social-ecologicalmodel.html

Informed by the preceding organizational audit, the strategic action plan will identify commitments for implementation by the prime recipient and, if applicable, subrecipient(s);

corresponding performance measures; staff/team owners; proposed timelines; a strategy for ensuring the organization is meaningfully integrating the expertise of those with lived experience; opportunities for empowering staff to strengthen their identification and response to human trafficking, partner with community stakeholders within a local continuum of care, and gather and analyze data to improve programs and policies; areas for developing or strengthening protocols; other investments to strengthen the institutional response to human trafficking; and other related actions.

Building a Continuum of Care for Service Referrals and Comprehensive Case Management Prime recipients must provide comprehensive case management services within a continuum of care as described in the definitions provided in Section I. Program Description, Definitions and Terms. To ensure comprehensive case management services are provided, the prime recipient makes referrals to local direct service providers for services that are beyond the scope of their program. To that end, prime recipients may form strategic partnership(s) with other local organizations to achieve the project objectives. Referral services beyond the scope of the prime recipient's programming are considered part of a continuum of care and must be trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and person-centered. For the purposes of providing comprehensive case management and aftercare services, prospective partners within a continuum of care may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Social service organizations capable of providing identification, screening, assessment, safety planning, service planning, care coordination, and advocacy to ensure options and services meet an individual's needs and promote their well-being. An individual's needs may include basic expenses, such as food; clothing; shelter; transportation assistance;

childcare; enrolling clients in receive public benefits, including identifying the available benefits; and helping clients appeal a denial of benefits

Public health entities, including Indian Health Service facilities, emergency room staff, clinic staff, community health clinics, and schools of public health and social work

Health care, including primary care, specialty care, emergency care, traditional healing, and mental health and behavioral health services

Interpretation services, included certified deaf interpreters Adult emergency shelter and transitional housing programs Runaway and homeless youth shelters Substance use treatment centers Domestic violence organizations and shelters, sexual assault responders, and organizations dealing with intimate partner violence or child victimization Community-based and mutual aid organizations Faith-based organizations Legal services organizations Housing assistance, including emergency, transitional, and long-term housing Employment assistance, vocational training, job training, and placement services Business/labor organizations Transportation industry entities

Court systems, including tribal judges Juvenile justice systems Child welfare agencies Educators, school staff, and school districts Advocacy organizations providing information on crime victims' rights and services

The prime recipient, in consultation with organizations who comprise this continuum of care, shall identify gaps in available services and recruit additional organizations to receive referrals and support the delivery of services.

Human Trafficking Protocols, Policies, and Procedure In consultation with local partners within a continuum of care, prime recipients are required to develop and implement a HTRP to guide the response of program professionals to individuals who may be or have experienced human trafficking and are seeking care/supportive services in a clinical setting. HTRP must address the following components:

Staff training and supports, including training and supervision related to vicarious and secondary trauma

Screening and care coordination Strategies for working with special client/patient populations (e.g., minors, foreign nationals, etc.)

Safety considerations Multidisciplinary treatment and referrals Mandatory reporting guidelines Follow-up/follow-through procedures Process for determining if there are emergency needs unable to be addressed by a local continuum of care that might be eligible for the aforementioned crisis funding for urgent case management and direct services, and obtaining the necessary approval(s)

Other health care considerations and clinical guidelines (as appropriate)

Training Plan to Strengthen the Continuum of Care Under the SOAR Demonstration Program, prime recipients must develop and implement a training plan for staff, subrecipients (if relevant), and external partners within their continuum of care. The training plan must outline each audience; their role; the training content; the timeframe; duration; and frequency of training(s) throughout the project performance period. These trainings must align with principles of adult learning theory and may include the following:

Information-based methods (e.g., lectures, presentations) Demonstration-based methods (e.g., videos, behavioral modeling) Practice-based methods (e.g., simulation, role-playing)

Prime recipients must ensure all relevant staff have completed or will complete at least 5 hours of training in connection with equity each budget period.

Prime recipients must leverage individual self-assessment tools, such as the Core Competencies Self-Assessment Tool for Healthcare and Behavioral Health Professionals. Prime recipients https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/Self%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Health%20Care%20and%20Behavioral%20Health%20Professionals%20FINAL%20508.pdf https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/Self%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Health%20Care%20and%20Behavioral%20Health%20Professionals%20FINAL%20508.pdf should update the training plan periodically over the length of the project performance period as they implement an iterative process by which they take stock of their staff and organizational capacities to demonstrate the Core Competencies under the SOAR Demonstration Program. Under the SOAR Demonstration Program, recipients will develop and deliver specialized training specific to the local context to build and strengthen strategic partnerships within a continuum of care. At a minimum, these specialized trainings must include all the following topics:

Federal definition of severe forms of trafficking in persons State and tribal anti-trafficking laws and legal considerations for a specific geographic area (as appropriate) Case studies of individuals who have experienced human trafficking Information about human trafficking, including types of human trafficking and recruitment and/or retention tactics used by traffickers Indicators that a person may be experiencing human trafficking Safety protocols for those in direct contact with individuals potentially experiencing human trafficking Referral protocols within a continuum of care for aftercare and ongoing service needs Information about local continuums of care or multidisciplinary anti-trafficking task forces Processes by which organizational partnerships are developed and maintained Services and benefits available for individuals who have experienced human trafficking Special considerations for both domestic and foreign national minors experiencing human trafficking, which may include relevant legal and social welfare systems, such as juvenile justice, immigration, and child welfare

How to deliver person-centered, trauma-informed services and assistance to individuals who have experienced human trafficking

Post-identification reporting and referral protocols Housing and employment needs of individuals who have experienced human trafficking Intersectionality between race and human trafficking (e.g., the role racial identity and racism play in the risk for human trafficking, process of identification, experience of service delivery, interaction with enforcement systems, including the criminal justice system, access to resources, health disparities/inequities experienced by systemically excluded communities, etc.)

Intersectionality between sexual orientation, gender identity, and human trafficking (e.g., the role gender identity and expression and exclusion play in the risk for human trafficking, process of identification, experience of service delivery, interaction with the criminal justice system, access to resources, health disparities/inequities experienced by 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, etc.)

Intersectionality between individuals with disabilities and human trafficking (e.g., the role disability status and accessibility and exclusion plays in the risk for human trafficking, process of identification, experience of service delivery, interaction with the criminal justice system, access to resources, etc.)

Intersectionality between human trafficking and forced criminality (e.g., understanding that when an individual is forced to provide a labor or service that contributes to an illegal or illicit activity or business operation, they may also be considered a victim of human trafficking)

If needed and with OTIP approval, NHTTAC staff and consultants will support prime recipients in facilitating internal and external relationship-building; identifying resources to complement their strategic action plans; conducting peer review for products, trainings, and protocols; and more throughout the second phase. For additional information on permissible topics and funding restrictions, refer to Section I. Project Description, SOAR Administrative Requirements, Capacity Building for Project Staff and Subrecipients.

Phase 3: Ongoing Project Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement Distinct from the possibility of an OTIP-funded, formal evaluation of the SOAR Demonstration Program, prime recipients must assess and evaluate the effectiveness of SOAR trainings; HTRP and related policies and procedures; and strategic partnerships that were implemented during the prior phase(s). Evaluation results should regularly inform the refinement of each phase of program activity, policies, referrals, and practice to address gaps and improve health outcomes for clients and patients who have experienced human trafficking.

Continuous Quality Improvement Plan Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is the process by which an organization identifies, describes, and analyzes strengths and challenges and then tests, implements, learns from, and revises solutions. It relies on an organizational culture that is proactive, data-driven, supports continuous learning, and actively includes the participation of staff at all levels and the client or patient population served. The CQI Plan will identify the following key components:

Existing management information system(s) and relevant resources Protocols for collecting and sharing information What data points are collected, who has access to it, how it is used, and who owns it Strategies for ensuring programs, policies, and procedures are informed by qualified experts with lived experience Opportunities and mechanisms (e.g., survey, focus groups, advisory boards, etc.) by which staff, strategic partners, and client/patient feedback is collected regularly The process and timeframe in which this data will be continually applied to improve and refine care delivery

Project Sustainability Plan Applicants must propose a plan for project sustainability after the period when federal funding ends. Plans must describe the approach to project sustainability that will be most effective and feasible; provide a description of key individuals and/or organizations whose support will be required; and address the types of alternative support that will be required to maintain the program. If the proposed project involves key project partners, the plan must describe how their cooperation and/or collaboration will be maintained after the end of federal funding.

SOAR ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Subawards Recipients under this grant program may opt to transfer a portion of substantive programmatic work to other organizations through subaward(s). The prime recipient must maintain a substantive role in the project and a justification is required if over fifty (50) percent plans to be subawarded. ACF defines a substantive role as conducting activities and/or providing services funded under the award that are necessary and integral to the completion of the project.

Subrecipient monitoring activities alone, as specified in 45 CFR § 75.352, do not constitute a substantive role. Furthermore, ACF does not fund awards where the role of the applicant is primarily to serve as a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

Subrecipient(s) must meet the eligibility requirements identified in the NOFO, Section III.1.

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one. Prime recipients are required to check SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

Please reference the Award Term and Condition on Subawards on the ACF Administrative and National Policy Requirements website for further requirements involving subawards.

Capacity Building for Project Staff and Subrecipients Under the SOAR Demonstration Program, prime recipients must require training on project implementation and human trafficking for any personnel directly responsible for the development and implementation of project activities, such as the organizational audit, strategic action plan, training lan, HTRP, and related policies development. All personnel and, if applicable, subrecipient staff who are likely interact with individuals who have experienced human trafficking must complete at least 10 hours of training each budget period in connection with human trafficking. OTIP reserves the right to verify compliance throughout the project period. Prime recipients must track training hours and topics for their staff and, if applicable, subrecipient staff.

Trainings must include all of the topics listed under Section I. SOAR Demonstration Program Requirements, Phase 2: Building Organizational Capacity and Strategic Partnerships, Training Plan to Strengthen the Continuum of Care, which are responsive to the 2021 U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking report and NAP (Priority Action 2.1.3: Regularly train Federal law enforcement and service provider agencies on identifying human trafficking) that recommends HHS expand specialized training on human trafficking and its indicators to include subtopics related to systemically excluded populations (e.g., youth, BIPOC communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, boys and men, and people with special needs).

SOAR Demonstration Program funds may be used to cover costs associated with continuing education units for prime recipient staff and, if applicable, subrecipient(s) staff. Please see Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions for more information.

Faith-Based Organizations ACF is mindful that a potential recipient may have religious objections to providing certain kinds of healthcare or social services. ACF is committed to exploring ways for faith-based organizations to partner with ACF and other recipients, even if they object to providing specific services on religious grounds. Simultaneously, ACF is committed to providing the full range of https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_14 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.state.gov/united-states-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking-annual-report-2019/ https://www.state.gov/united-states-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking-annual-report-2019/ legally permissible care and services to people who need them and doing so in a timely fashion and in a manner that respects the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of those we serve. To accomplish this goal with respect to religious objection and required services, OTIP requires that organizations that have a religious objection to providing any services must provide an alternative approach to meet their grant obligations. Please refer to Section IV.2. The Project Description, Approach for more information.

The alternative approach must ensure clients or patients served under the SOAR Demonstration Program understand the full range of services available in the program and how to receive referrals for such services, either directly through the SOAR Demonstration project or partnering organization(s). If an alternative approach is proposed, the alternative approach will be reviewed based upon a determination of the following: 1) will ensure timely provision of all services for which the individual is eligible; 2) is not burdensome to the client; and 3) it is operationally feasible for ACF.

DEFINITIONS AND TERMS

For the purposes of this NOFO, these terms will be defined as follows:

Adult learning theory, or andragogy, highlights the distinct ways adults best respond to learning and is…