42 U.S.C. § 300d–54 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 300d–54. Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program
(a) In general
The Secretary shall establish a program 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 section referred to as the “Program”) to provide training to health care and social service providers on human trafficking in accordance with this section.
(b) Activities
(1) In general
The Program shall include the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program’s activities existing on the day before December 31, 2018, 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 Federal, State, local, and tribal partners, to develop a flexible training module—
(i) for supporting activities under subsection (c); and
(ii) that adapts to changing needs, settings, health care providers, and social service providers;
(B) providing technical assistance to grantees related to implementing activities described in subsection (c) and reporting on any best practices identified by the grantees;
(C) developing a reliable methodology for collecting data, and reporting such data, on the number of human trafficking victims identified and served by grantees in a manner that, at a minimum, prevents disclosure of individually identifiable information consistent with all applicable privacy laws and regulations; and
(D) integrating, as appropriate, the training described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c) with training programs, in effect on December 31, 2018, for health care and social service providers for victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, child neglect, child maltreatment, and child sexual exploitation.
(c) Grants
The Secretary may award grants to appropriate entities to train health care and social service providers to—
(1) identify potential human trafficking victims;
(2) implement best practices for working with law enforcement to report and facilitate communication with human trafficking victims, in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, local, and tribal laws, including legal confidentiality requirements for patients and health care and social service providers;
(3) implement best practices for referring such victims to appropriate health care, social, or victims service agencies or organizations; and
(4) provide such victims with coordinated, age-appropriate, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, patient-centered, and evidence-based care.
(d) Consideration in awarding grants
The Secretary, in making awards under this section, shall give consideration to—
(1) geography;
(2) the demographics of the population to be served;
(3) the predominant types of human trafficking cases involved; and
(4) health care and social service provider profiles.
(e) Data collection and reporting
(1) In general
The Secretary shall collect data and report on the following:
(A) The total number of entities that received a grant under this section.
(B) The total number and geographic distribution of health care and social service 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 paragraph (3), 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 and social service providers trained through, the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program existing prior to the establishment of the Program under this section.
(3) Annual report
Not later than 1 year after December 31, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit an annual report to Congress on the data collected under this subsection in a manner that, at a minimum, prevents the disclosure of individually identifiable information consistent with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
(f) Sharing best practices
The Secretary shall make available, on the Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services, a description of the best practices and procedures used by entities that receive a grant for carrying out activities under this section.
(g) Definition
In this section, the term “human trafficking” has the meaning given the term “severe forms of trafficking in persons” as defined in section 7102 of title 22.
(h) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XII, §1254, as added Pub. L. 115–398, § 2, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5328.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: This section, referred to in subsec. (h), was in the original “this Act”, and was translated, to reflect the probable intent of Congress, as meaning Pub. L. 115–398, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5328, which enacted this section and provisions set out as a note under section 201 of this title.