You are on this page: Safe Harbour Program Highlights

The Safe Harbour: NY program supports counties in developing their capacity to identify youth who have been trafficked, sexually exploited, or are at risk of victimization and to meet identified service needs of these youth. This work is grounded in and guided by the OCFS Blueprint.
The following highlights reflect some of the extensive work accomplished by Safe Harbour: NY partner counties. To view highlights from a local Safe Harbour: NY program, select a county from the dropdown or click on the map. Counties shaded purple are currently funded. To connect with a local point of contact, email humantrafficking@ocfs.ny.gov or contact your OCFS regional office.
Westchester County
Highlights from Program Plan
- Form a Critical Team
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A Safe Harbor Unit internal to Westchester County DSS was created to respond to all youth identified as at-risk of trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation.
Host quarterly county-wide task force meetings to guide the system’s response to identification of survivors and service coordination.
- Develop County Training Plan
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Trainings to raise awareness and educate providers about the indicators of trafficking have been provided to the child advocacy center, mental health providers, and many other relevant partners.
Informational resources have been distributed widely throughout the county.
- Conduct Public Awareness Campaigns
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Developed poster series and tagline for the Safe Harbour program.
- Youth Outreach
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Filled duffel bags with clothing, toiletry items, snacks, pre-paid cell phones, etc. for distribution to vulnerable and trafficked youth.
Offer psycho-educational groups, art therapies, and educational and vocational services for survivors.
Hosted a group retreat focused on holistic healing for survivors.
- Adopt Standardized Tools and Resources
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Trained all child protective services, foster care and prevention service units on screening tools and referral protocol.
- Develop Referral Pathways
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Created an internal response protocol delineating how agencies will respond to survivors of sexual exploitation within two hours.
Outreach Materials
