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 En-
ergy 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] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
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. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop, Observe, Ask, and 
Respond to Health and Wellness Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘SOAR 
to Health and Wellness Act of 2017’’. 
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 pro-
gram to be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond 
to Health and Wellness Training Program or the SOAR 
to Health and Wellness Training Program (in this Act re-
ferred 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 purpose described 
in subsection (c). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
(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 diver-
sity in— 
(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 re-
quirements 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; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
(C) culturally relevant; 
(D) comprehensive; 
(E) evidence-based; 
(F) gender responsive; 
(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 enactment 
of this Act, for victims of domestic violence, dating vi-
olence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, child ne-
glect, child maltreatment, and child sexual exploi-
tation. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Program 
shall include the functions of the Stop, Observe, Ask, 
and Respond to Health and Wellness Training pro-
gram that was operating on the day before the date 
of enactment of this Act and the authorized initiatives 
described in paragraph (2). 
(2) AUTHORIZED INITIATIVES.—The authorized 
initiatives of the Program shall include— 
(A) engaging stakeholders, including victims 
of human trafficking and any Federal, State, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
local, or tribal partners, to develop a flexible 
training module— 
(i) for achieving the purpose described 
in subsection (c); and 
(ii) that adapts to changing needs, set-
tings, health care providers, and other re-
lated providers; 
(B) providing technical assistance for health 
education programs and health care professional 
organizations to implement health care protocols, 
or develop continuing education training mate-
rials, that assist in achieving the purpose de-
scribed 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.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
(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 operating 
under the Program. 
(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 pur-
poses of the initial report to be submitted under sub-
section (b), the Secretary shall collect data on the 
total number of facilities and health care professional 
organizations that were operating under, and the 
total number of health care providers and other re-
lated 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). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:35 Sep 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H767.RH
H767
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS