<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-704.4" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Child Abuse and Neglect">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Child advocacy center” has the meaning stated in § 13–2201 of the Health – General Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Qualified community–based victim services provider” means a nonprofit organization with:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>demonstrated expertise providing direct services to victims of sex trafficking or sexually exploited youth;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the capacity to provide victim–centered, trauma–informed case management for youth victims of sex trafficking;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a demonstrated history of working in the community where services will be provided; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the ability to collaborate with other agencies, including law enforcement, sexual assault crisis programs, child advocacy centers, and other direct services providers.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“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.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>“Sex trafficking” has the meaning stated in § 5–701 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>“Sexual assault crisis program” means a program certified by the federally recognized State sexual assault coalition.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>“Youth” means an individual under the age of 24 years.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the program is to support services for youth victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>creating and sustaining projects to provide services for youth victims of sex trafficking that are victim–centered and trauma–informed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>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 and labor trafficking;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>ensuring that youth victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking have access to services described under subsection (e) of this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>increasing the State’s capacity to respond to youth sex trafficking and labor trafficking; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>training providers to appropriately identify and serve youth victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A grantee under the program may include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a child advocacy center;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a sexual assault crisis program; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a qualified community–based victim services provider.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Grants under this section shall be awarded:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>to ensure that emergency and long–term services are available for youth victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking in every jurisdiction in the State by January 1, 2022; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>to provide services in one jurisdiction or in more than one similar jurisdiction in the same region.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Services coordinated and provided by a grantee under this section shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>safety planning;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>emergency response;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>basic living needs, including housing;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>trauma counseling and mental health services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>drug and alcohol abuse treatment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>legal services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>victim advocacy;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>case management; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>designation of regional navigators.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>Notwithstanding any appropriation made under subsection (h) of this section, not later than October 1, 2019, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall provide grant funding for services provided by the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>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 and labor trafficking.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>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:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the number of reports of child sex trafficking and labor trafficking made in the State in the preceding year;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the outcome or disposition of reports of child sex trafficking and labor trafficking made in the State in the preceding year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the number of referrals made to regional navigators under this section in the preceding year.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Governor may annually appropriate up to $3,000,000 for grant funding provided under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>The Executive Director may adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
