Improving Outcomes for Child Sex Trafficking Victims, Phase 2: A Rigorous Outcome Evaluation of Love146’s Long-Term Services (LTS) Program

This application proposes a five year mixed-methods, quasi-experimental outcome evaluation of the Long-Term Services (LTS) component of the Love146 Survivor Care Program. Love146, an anti-trafficking organization, developed the Survivor Care Program to support child sex trafficking (CST) victims. The program incorporates two types of service provision: Rapid Response and LTS. All youth who are referred to Love146 receive Rapid.

Response services. Subsequently, referring agents or youth themselves may request entry into LTS, which provides intensive services (e.g., personal advocacy support, mental health counseling, transportation). The project will evaluate whether CST victims who are enrolled in the LTS program show significant improvements in social, emotional, health, and education outcomes, compared to those who do not receive the LTS component (either waitlisted or not referred to LTS). This project builds on an ongoing NIJ-funded Phase 1 project (NIJ award # 2020- V3-GX-0076, to be completed December 2022).

The project involves a non-equivalent cohort methodology design with repeated pre-post measures, with youth being enrolled for up to two years to follow outcomes over time. The study involves self-report surveys of victims (n=350, collected every two months); review of agency client data (collected every six months); and interviews with youth (n=30) who have been in the LTS program for at least six months. Quantitative data analysis using structural equation modeling and latent curve modeling, and qualitative data analysis using an inductive approach to content analysis will be conducted.

The goal of this project is to evaluate whether the Love146 LTS program can improve the health, safety, and emotional well-being of youth trafficking victims.

The results will contribute to knowledge regarding the effectiveness of LTS services and experiences of CST victims with these services, as well as service program development in other states and communities for CST victims.  CA/NCF
Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR 200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF