Across the United States there are law enforcement professionals, victim advocates, social workers, and relatives searching the Internet and dialing the phone looking for a program to find assistance for a trafficking survivor.
Often, their first (and desperate) question is:
But that’s not the question that may get results.
The National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance endeavors to expedite placement of victims into qualified programs that have availability. We have identified 170+ residential service providers, the majority of them are able to take referrals from anywhere in the U.S.– we just have to close the gap between the victim seeking placement and the agencies who can offer services.
The Alliance Referral System (ARS)
The ARS process is open to any Referring Agency who has encountered a victim of domestic human trafficking, sexual exploitation, or prostitution, and who is seeking residential care.
You do not need to be a member of the Alliance in order to use ARS.
The Alliance Referral System is a new initiative and is currently in the pilot phase. Currently, referrals are sent out using a database of all open and running residential providers in the US and is not limited to members only. This is to ensure that survivors do not have to wait in order to get the care they need while Alliance General Membership is growing.
Once the Alliance has vetted enough agencies to meet General Membership Minimum Standards to sufficiently place all referrals, ARS will only be sent to Vetted Members. Unlike non-members, General members go through the Alliance membership review process to ensure they meet our minimum standards. This gives confidence to survivors and frontline responders using the ARS that any agency they connect with through ARS has proven they meet a certain quality of care.
ARS will not replace the assessment process of individual agencies; we are a facilitator only.
Screening
Referring Agencies or Individuals who choose to use this process agree to the following:
- Your Candidate has been pre-screened as a victim of trafficking by using the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance Screening tool.
- You have the Candidate’s permission to submit this form.
- You and the Candidate understand that submitting a referral does not promise placement. Each agency makes its own decision about who to accept into its program.
ARS does NOT link to emergency care services. If you are looking for emergency care, please go to Survivor Resources or call 911.
How It Works
- (With the Candidate’s informed consent), download and fill out the ARS form completely. DO NOT include identifying information.
- Email the completed ARS application to referral@shelteredalliance.org.
- Within 12 hours, your form will be reviewed. If we need additional information we will contact you.
- Your Candidate’s needs will be matched against the agencies in our database and the form will be sent out within 24 hours to that appropriate subset of agencies.
- Agencies that have availability and the services needed by your Candidate have the responsibility to CONTACT YOU. Do not contact the Alliance to follow up on a submission.
- Once you hear from an Agency, you may be asked to follow their application process.
The Steps of the Alliance Referral System
What Happens After You Submit a Referral
Questions about the Alliance Referral System? You can reach us at referral@shelteredalliance.org.
