MayaTech Supports the Office of Population Affairs' New E-Learning Course on Human Trafficking
Silver Spring, MD (Jan. 25, 2021) - January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and The MayaTech Corporation supported the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) on a newly-released human trafficking e-learning curriculum.
According to the U.S. Department of State, "trafficking in persons, also known as modern slavery or human trafficking, includes both forced labor and sex trafficking." As many as 24.9 million people — children and adults — are trapped in a form of human trafficking around the world, including in the United States, according to the State Department.
The MayaTech Corporation coordinated development of OPA's new e-learning course on "Identifying and Responding to Human Trafficking in Title X Settings." The Title X Program provides comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services for more than 3 million men, women, and adolescents annually, many from low-income or underserved communities.
"Title X and family planning settings present a unique opportunity to identify active victims of human trafficking," said MayaTech President Valerie Spencer. "MayaTech was honored to work on a topic of this nature that, while sensitive, is important and critically necessary."
MayaTech's Center for Technical Assistance, Training and Research Support (TARS) supported this initiative for nearly two years, including facilitating an expert working group that involved human trafficking victims and survivors, as well as coordinating subject matter expert consultants. This work informed the curriculum development and related resources.
"These resources will greatly enhance the ability of the providers and staff to support and offer services to this extremely vulnerable population," said Kelly Wagner, MayaTech Senior Technical Vice President and TARS Manager. "We hope that OPA's release of the new curriculum during the month where human trafficking prevention is nationally recognized will help spur interest in and enrollment of the course."
The new one-hour course builds on the SOAR to Health and Wellness Human Trafficking Training, and is designed for all Title X family planning staff—including health counselors and educators, clinicians, and support staff. The course objectives include recognizing possible signs and indicators of human trafficking within Title X settings, interacting with a potential victims or survivors, assessing their needs, and taking action to connect with first responders and service providers.
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About MayaTech: Since 1985, The MayaTech Corporation has focused on tackling existing and emerging public health challenges through direct engagement with agencies, governments, communities, and individuals. We provide a suite of research, training, evaluation, capacity-building, and other strategic support services aimed at reaching and impacting vulnerable populations, amplifying best practices, and innovating the practice of public health. Learn more at mayatech.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.