IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 767 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2018 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions 
AN ACT 
To establish the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health 
and Wellness Training pilot program to address human 
trafficking in the health care system. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop, Observe, Ask, 
and Respond to Health and Wellness Act of 2018’’ or the 
‘‘SOAR to Health and Wellness Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) HUMAN TRAFFICKING.—The term ‘‘human 
trafficking’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘severe 
forms of trafficking in persons’’ as defined in section 
103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102). 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
SEC. 3. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
program to be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Re-
spond to Health and Wellness Training Program or the 
SOAR to Health and Wellness Training Program (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to provide training to 
health care providers and other related providers, at all 
levels, on human trafficking in accordance with the pur-
pose described in subsection (c). 
(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary may carry out the Pro-
gram through the award of grants to health care sites and 
health care professional organizations that represent di-
versity in— 
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(1) geography; 
(2) the demographics of the population served; 
(3) the predominant types of human trafficking 
cases; and 
(4) health care provider profiles. 
(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Program shall be 
to train health care providers and other related providers 
to enable such providers to— 
(1) identify potential human trafficking victims; 
(2) implement proper protocols and procedures 
for working with law enforcement to report, and fa-
cilitate communication with, such victims, in accord-
ance with all applicable Federal, State, local, and 
tribal requirements, including legal confidentiality 
requirements for patients and health care providers; 
(3) implement proper protocols and procedures 
for referring such victims to appropriate health care, 
social, or victims service agencies or organizations; 
(4) provide such victims care that is— 
(A) coordinated; 
(B) victim centered; 
(C) culturally relevant; 
(D) comprehensive; 
(E) evidence-based; 
(F) gender responsive; 
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(G) age-appropriate, with a focus on care 
for youth; and 
(H) trauma-informed; and 
(5) consider the potential for integrating the 
training described in paragraphs (1) through (4) 
with training programs, in effect on the date of en-
actment of this Act, for victims of domestic violence, 
dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, 
child neglect, child maltreatment, and child sexual 
exploitation. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Pro-
gram shall include the functions of the Stop, Ob-
serve, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness 
Training program that was operating on the day be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act and the au-
thorized initiatives described in paragraph (2). 
(2) AUTHORIZED INITIATIVES.—The authorized 
initiatives of the Program shall include— 
(A) engaging stakeholders, including vic-
tims of human trafficking and any Federal, 
State, local, or tribal partners, to develop a 
flexible training module— 
(i) for achieving the purpose described 
in subsection (c); and 
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(ii) that adapts to changing needs, 
settings, health care providers, and other 
related providers; 
(B) providing technical assistance for 
health education programs and health care pro-
fessional organizations to implement health care 
protocols, or develop continuing education train-
ing materials, that assist in achieving the pur-
pose described in subsection (c); 
(C) facilitating the dissemination of best 
practices and recommendations as the Secretary 
determines appropriate; and 
(D) developing a reliable methodology for 
collecting data, and reporting such data, on the 
number of human trafficking victims identified 
and served in health care settings or other re-
lated provider settings. 
SEC. 4. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
(a) DATA COLLECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During each of fiscal years 
2018 through 2022, the Secretary shall collect data 
on each of the following: 
(A) The total number of grantees oper-
ating under the Program. 
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(B) The total number of health care pro-
viders and other related providers trained 
through the Program. 
(2) INITIAL REPORT.—In addition to the data 
required to be collected under paragraph (1), for 
purposes of the initial report to be submitted under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall collect data on 
the total number of facilities and health care profes-
sional organizations that were operating under, and 
the total number of health care providers and other 
related providers trained through, the Stop, Observe, 
Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training 
program that was operating before the establishment 
under section 3(a) of the Program. 
(b) REPORTING.—Not later than 90 days after the 
first day of each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, the 
Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report 
on the data collected under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
2022. 
SEC. 6. CUT-GO COMPLIANCE. 
Subsection (f) of section 319D of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–4) is amended by striking 
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‘‘through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2017, and 
$118,300,000 for fiscal year 2018’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 26, 
2018. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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