IB 

Union Calendar No. 237 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 767 

[Report No. 115–327] 

To establish the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness 

Training pilot program to address human trafficking in the health care 

system. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 31, 2017 

Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. KINZINGER, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, and Mrs. WAGNER) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 

Additional sponsors: Mr. MEEHAN, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. 

HUDSON, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mrs. 

BEATTY, and Ms. LOFGREN

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 

on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 31, 2017] 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 767 RH

A BILL 

To establish the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health 

and Wellness Training pilot program to address human 

trafficking in the health care system. 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 767 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop, Observe, Ask, and 

5 Respond to Health and Wellness Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘SOAR 

6 to Health and Wellness Act of 2017’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) HUMAN TRAFFICKING.—The term ‘‘human 

10 trafficking’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘severe 

11 forms of trafficking in persons’’ as defined in section 

12 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 

13 (22 U.S.C. 7102). 

14 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

16 SEC. 3. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a pro18 gram to be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond 

19 to Health and Wellness Training Program or the SOAR 

20 to Health and Wellness Training Program (in this Act re21 ferred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to provide training to health 

22 care providers and other related providers, at all levels, on 

23 human trafficking in accordance with the purpose described 

24 in subsection (c). 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 767 RH

1 (b) GRANTS.—The Secretary may carry out the Pro2 gram through the award of grants to health care sites and 

3 health care professional organizations that represent diver4 sity in— 

5 (1) geography; 

6 (2) the demographics of the population served; 

7 (3) the predominant types of human trafficking 

8 cases; and 

9 (4) health care provider profiles. 

10 (c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Program shall be 

11 to train health care providers and other related providers 

12 to enable such providers to— 

13 (1) identify potential human trafficking victims; 

14 (2) implement proper protocols and procedures 

15 for working with law enforcement to report, and fa16 cilitate communication with, such victims, in accord17 ance with all applicable Federal, State, local, and 

18 tribal requirements, including legal confidentiality re19 quirements for patients and health care providers; 

20 (3) implement proper protocols and procedures 

21 for referring such victims to appropriate health care, 

22 social, or victims service agencies or organizations; 

23 (4) provide such victims care that is— 

24 (A) coordinated; 

25 (B) victim centered; 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 767 RH

1 (C) culturally relevant; 

2 (D) comprehensive; 

3 (E) evidence-based; 

4 (F) gender responsive; 

5 (G) age-appropriate, with a focus on care 

6 for youth; and 

7 (H) trauma-informed; and 

8 (5) consider the potential for integrating the 

9 training described in paragraphs (1) through (4) with 

10 training programs, in effect on the date of enactment 

11 of this Act, for victims of domestic violence, dating vi12 olence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, child ne13 glect, child maltreatment, and child sexual exploi14 tation. 

15 (d) FUNCTIONS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Program 

17 shall include the functions of the Stop, Observe, Ask, 

18 and Respond to Health and Wellness Training pro19 gram that was operating on the day before the date 

20 of enactment of this Act and the authorized initiatives 

21 described in paragraph (2). 

22 (2) AUTHORIZED INITIATIVES.—The authorized 

23 initiatives of the Program shall include— 

24 (A) engaging stakeholders, including victims 

25 of human trafficking and any Federal, State, 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 767 RH

1 local, or tribal partners, to develop a flexible 

2 training module— 

3 (i) for achieving the purpose described 

4 in subsection (c); and 

5 (ii) that adapts to changing needs, set6 tings, health care providers, and other re7 lated providers; 

8 (B) providing technical assistance for health 

9 education programs and health care professional 

10 organizations to implement health care protocols, 

11 or develop continuing education training mate12 rials, that assist in achieving the purpose de13 scribed in subsection (c); 

14 (C) facilitating the dissemination of best 

15 practices and recommendations as the Secretary 

16 determines appropriate; and 

17 (D) developing a reliable methodology for 

18 collecting data, and reporting such data, on the 

19 number of human trafficking victims identified 

20 and served in health care settings or other re21 lated provider settings. 

22 SEC. 4. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING REQUIRE23 MENTS. 

24 (a) DATA COLLECTION.— 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 767 RH

1 (1) IN GENERAL.—During each of fiscal years 

2 2018 through 2022, the Secretary shall collect data on 

3 each of the following: 

4 (A) The total number of grantees operating 

5 under the Program. 

6 (B) The total number of health care pro7 viders and other related providers trained 

8 through the Program. 

9 (2) INITIAL REPORT.—In addition to the data 

10 required to be collected under paragraph (1), for pur11 poses of the initial report to be submitted under sub12 section (b), the Secretary shall collect data on the 

13 total number of facilities and health care professional 

14 organizations that were operating under, and the 

15 total number of health care providers and other re16 lated providers trained through, the Stop, Observe, 

17 Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training 

18 program that was operating before the establishment 

19 under section 3(a) of the Program. 

20 (b) REPORTING.—Not later than 90 days after the first 

21 day of each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, the Secretary 

22 shall prepare and submit to Congress a report on the data 

23 collected under subsection (a). 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 767 RH

1 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

3 this Act $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 

4 2022. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to establish 

the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and 

Wellness Training Program to address human trafficking 

in the health care system.’’. 


ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 237 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 767 

[Report No. 115–327] 

A BILL 

To establish the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond 

system. to address human trafficking in the health care to Health and Wellness Training pilot program 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 

dered to be printed of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and orVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:35 Sep 25, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H767.RH H767

ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS