2023 Maryland Statutes › Family Law › Title 5 - Children › Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect › Section 5-704.4 - Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program

(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)    “Child advocacy center” has the meaning stated in § 13–2201 of the Health – General Article.
(3)    “Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.
(4)    “Qualified community–based victim services provider” means a nonprofit organization with:
(i)    demonstrated expertise providing direct services to victims of sex trafficking or sexually exploited youth;
(ii)    the capacity to provide victim–centered, trauma–informed case management for youth victims of sex trafficking;
(iii)    a demonstrated history of working in the community where services will be provided; and
(iv)    the ability to collaborate with other agencies, including law enforcement, sexual assault crisis programs, child advocacy centers, and other direct services providers.
(5)    “Regional navigator” means a provider of services designated by a grantee of the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program established under subsection (b) of this section.
(6)    “Sex trafficking” has the meaning stated in § 5–701 of this subtitle.
(7)    “Sexual assault crisis program” means a program certified by the federally recognized State sexual assault coalition.
(8)    “Youth” means an individual under the age of 24 years.
(b)    (1)    There is a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program.
(2)    The purpose of the program is to support services for youth victims of sex trafficking by:
(i)    creating and sustaining projects to provide services for youth victims of sex trafficking that are victim–centered and trauma–informed;
(ii)    facilitating and coordinating among local departments, the Department of Juvenile Services, sexual assault crisis programs, child advocacy programs, local offices of the Office of the Public Defender, and other state and local agencies responding to youth victims of sex trafficking;
(iii)    ensuring that youth victims of sex trafficking have access to services described under subsection (e) of this section;
(iv)    increasing the State’s capacity to respond to youth sex trafficking; and
(v)    training providers to appropriately identify and serve youth victims of sex trafficking.
(c)    A grantee under the program may include:
(1)    a child advocacy center;
(2)    a sexual assault crisis program; or
(3)    a qualified community–based victim services provider.
(d)    Grants under this section shall be awarded:
(1)    to ensure that emergency and long–term services are available for youth victims of sex trafficking in every jurisdiction in the State by January 1, 2022; and
(2)    to provide services in one jurisdiction or in more than one similar jurisdiction in the same region.
(e)    Services coordinated and provided by a grantee under this section shall include:
(1)    safety planning;
(2)    emergency response;
(3)    basic living needs, not including housing;
(4)    trauma counseling and mental health services;
(5)    drug and alcohol abuse treatment;
(6)    legal services;
(7)    victim advocacy;
(8)    case management; and
(9)    designation of regional navigators.
(f)    Notwithstanding any appropriation made under subsection (h) of this section, not later than October 1, 2019, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services shall provide grant funding for services provided by the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program.
(g)    (1)        Every 2 years, beginning December 1, 2019, the Executive Director shall submit an independent evaluation report with qualitative and quantitative data to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly regarding whether services coordinated and provided by grantees under this section are available, adequate, and successfully serving children and youth who are victims of sex trafficking.
(2)    Beginning December 1, 2019, the Department of Human Services shall annually report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on:
(i)    the number of reports of child sex trafficking made in the State in the preceding year;
(ii)    the outcome or disposition of reports of child sex trafficking made in the State in the preceding year; and
(iii)    the number of referrals made to regional navigators under this section in the preceding year.
(h)    The Governor may annually appropriate up to $3,000,000 for grant funding provided under this section.
(i)    The Executive Director may adopt regulations to carry out this section.