Fighting Human Trafficking in New York State

In 2007, the New York State Social Services Law §483-ee established an interagency task force co-chaired by the Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Office for Temporary and Disability Assistance.  Eight other state agencies participate in the task force including the Office of Victim Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Labor, the Division of State Policy, the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, the Office of Children and Family Services, the Office of Mental Health, and the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.

The various duties of this task force include collecting and organizing data on the nature of human trafficking, identifying federal, state, and local social service programs for victims, developing recommendations for prevention, protecting and assisting victims, establishing protocols among and between governmental organizations, law enforcement and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and evaluating and recommending strategies to increase public awareness of human trafficking and training programs.  This task force facilitates a collaborative response from individuals in various agencies throughout New York State who endeavor to respond collectively in the fight against human trafficking.