Unbound North Texas

UNBOUND NORTH TEXAS EXISTS TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND RESOURCE THE COMMUNITY TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH SURVIVOR ADVOCACY, A 24/7 DROP-IN CENTER, AND PREVENTION AND AWARENESS.

SURVIVOR ADVOCACY: UNBOUND NORTH TEXAS SERVED OVER 366 SURVIVORS IN NORTH TEXAS IN THE LAST GRANT YEAR WITH WRAPAROUND, RELATIONAL ADVOCACY. UNBOUND NOW'S TEAM OF ADVOCATES, SERVING YOUTH AND ADULTS, PROVIDES BOTH CRISIS RESPONSE AND ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT. THE TEAM INCLUDES SEVEN FULL-TIME, TRAINED STAFF ADVOCATES, TWO MASTER'S LEVEL PROGRAM MANAGERS, AND IS LED BY A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER. TWO STAFF MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS ON CALL TO ASSIST VICTIMS. CRISIS RESPONSE MAY INCLUDE ACCOMPANIMENT FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT; ARRANGEMENT OF EMERGENCY SHELTER, FOOD, AND CLOTHING; AND RESPONSE TO OTHER URGENT NEEDS. ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT INCLUDES REGULAR MEETINGS, GOAL SETTING, SAFETY PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION TO NEEDED SERVICES, ACCOMPANIMENT FOR INTERVIEW AND COURT APPEARANCES, AND CRIME VICTIMS' COMPENSATION ASSISTANCE. OUR ADVOCATES PAVE THE WAY FOR SURVIVORS TO EXERT THEIR SELF-DETERMINATION FROM THE VERY FIRST MEETING. THE UNBOUND NOW ADVOCACY TEAM USES EVIDENCE-BASED, TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND SURVIVOR-CENTERED PRACTICES TO ENSURE THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BUILT BETWEEN A SURVIVOR AND THEIR ADVOCATE IS ESTABLISHED QUICKLY AND CARRIES THROUGH TO SUPPORT EFFECTIVE HEALING AND RESTORATION. UNBOUND NOW ADVOCATES ARE FIELD-BASED SO THAT THEY CAN MEET SURVIVORS WHERE THEY ARE, GEOGRAPHICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. AS A RESULT, UNBOUND NOW HAS SEEN MANY SURVIVORS REACH THEIR GOALS AND FIND RESTORATION. THE UNBOUND NOW ADVOCACY PROGRAM HAS BEEN SELECTED AS AN OFFICIAL ADVOCACY PROVIDER BY LOCAL CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS IN TARRANT, DENTON, AND JOHNSON COUNTIES. UNBOUND NOW IS ENDORSED BY THE OFFICE OF TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT'S CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING TEAM, WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED MINIMUM STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS HAVE YEARS OF RECOVERY AHEAD AND THEY SOMETIMES RETURN TO THEIR TRAFFICKER BECAUSE THE HEALING PROCESS IS SO CHALLENGING. UNBOUND NOW'S ADVOCATES STAY CLOSE TO THEIR CLIENTS AND BUILD TRUST OVER TIME- SOMETIMES YEARS.

THE UNDERGROUND DROP-IN CENTER: OPEN 24/7, THE UNDERGROUND OFFERS YOUTH THROUGH AGE 22 A SAFE PLACE TO REST, ENJOY A MEAL, SHOWER, PARTICIPATE IN CASE MANAGEMENT, GED AND OTHER EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMING, AND RECEIVE REFERRALS FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES. THIS REFUGE FOR SERVICES HELPS UNBOUND NOW IDENTIFY TYPICALLY DIFFICULT- TO-REACH YOUTH IN ORDER TO INTERVENE EARLIER IN THEIR TRAFFICKING EXPERIENCE, SOMETIMES BEFORE THEY ARE EXPLOITED. ADDITIONALLY, THE UNDERGROUND INCLUDES A SOFT INTERVIEW ROOM WHERE YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED CAN SHARE THEIR DIFFICULT STORIES IN A WARM, COMFORTING, AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT. IN THE LAST GRANT YEAR, THE UNDERGROUND SERVED 326 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH THROUGH OVER 1,194 VISITS TO THE CENTER. YOUTH WHO EXHIBIT CLEAR-CONCERN FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AS DETERMINED THROUGH THE VALIDATED COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IDENTIFICATION TOOL (CSE-IT), ARE INVITED TO WORK WITH AN UNBOUND NOW ADVOCATE TO HELP THE SURVIVOR CARRY FORWARD THEIR RESTORATIVE PROCESS FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED. OTHERS, WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, FAMILY CONFLICT, SEXUAL ABUSE, OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE AT HIGH RISK OF EXPLOITATION AND RECEIVE CARE AT THE UNDERGROUND, AS WELL AS REFERRALS TO SERVICES TO PREVENT FUTURE TRAFFICKING SITUATIONS. UNBOUND NOW'S TEAM AT THE DROP-IN CENTER INCLUDES A "COMFORT-DOODLE" (EMOTIONAL-SUPPORT DOG) NAMED WILBER, WHO SERVES AS A WELCOMING AMBASSADOR TO VISITORS OF THE CENTER.

PREVENTION & AWARENESS: WITHIN PREVENTION AND AWARENESS, UNBOUND NOW PREVENTS TRAFFICKING THROUGH EDUCATING STUDENTS ON SAFE RELATIONSHIPS, INCREASES IDENTIFICATION OF SURVIVORS THROUGH TARGETED OUTREACH, AND EQUIPS DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH AN ABILITY TO PROVIDE REFERRALS AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TO SURVIVORS. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH FORT WORTH ISD FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UNBOUND NOW IS ON TRACK TO TRAIN THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND COUNSELORS ON HOW TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING. AS A RESULT OF OUR EFFORTS, FORT WORTH ISD IS ONE OF THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY WITH A TRAUMA-INFORMED, SURVIVOR-CENTERED PLAN FOR HOW TO RESPOND TO TRAFFICKING SITUATIONS IN THE STUDENT POPULATION. LAST CALENDAR YEAR, UNBOUND NORTH TEXAS TRAINED 1,978 PROFESSIONALS, 1,962 STUDENTS, AND 457 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND HOSTED SPECIAL EVENTS.* AS A COMMUNITY, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE EXPERIENCE A CULTURAL SHIFT THAT EMPHASIZES EMPATHY TOWARDS SURVIVORS AND AWARENESS OF OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESOLVING THE ISSUE. UNBOUND NOW HAS PLANNED EVENTS EVERY QUARTER THAT ADDRESS BOTH LABOR AND TRAFFICKING AND SEX TRAFFICKING. OUR OUTREACH SPANS FROM VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS YOUTH FROM HARD PLACES AND WORKERS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY LEADERS WHO CAN USE THEIR PROFESSION AND INFLUENCE TO ENSURE SURVIVORS ARE IDENTIFIED AND CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES. OUTSIDE OF THE CORE OUTREACH EVENTS UNBOUND NOW CONDUCTS, TRAININGS ARE CONDUCTED FREQUENTLY, USUALLY WEEKLY, BY BILINGUAL STAFF. BY PARTICIPATING IN TRAINING AND PRESENTATIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN JOIN THE CHANGE THAT LEADS TO IDENTIFYING MORE SURVIVORS, SHIFTING THE CULTURAL PERCEPTION ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND PREVENTING TRAFFICKING FROM OCCURRING ALTOGETHER. UNBOUND NOW'S KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE CURRICULUM OFFERS AGE-APPROPRIATE CONTENT FOR STUDENTS FROM GRADES FIVE THROUGH 12. UNBOUND NOW'S TRAINING FOR SCHOOL STAFF HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY TO PROVIDE CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE RENEWAL. UNBOUND NOW HAS EDUCATED OVER 21,000 STUDENTS IN NORTH TEXAS. THE YOUTH PREVENTION TEAM AT UNBOUND NOW HAS HELPED SCHOOLS WHERE YOUTH HAVE DISCLOSED TRAFFICKING, ASSISTING SCHOOL STAFF IN REPORTING THE ABUSE AND ACCESSING APPROPRIATE SERVICES FOR THE AFFECTED STUDENTS. IN ADDITION TO YOUTH PREVENTION EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UNBOUND NOW PROVIDES TRAINING TO HELP PREFESSIONALS IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SPECIFIC WORK SETTINGS. UP TO 88 PERCENT OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS SEEK HEALTHCARE WHILE BEING TRAFFICKED ACCORDING TO THE POLARIS PROJECT, YET HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS RARELY IDENTIFY VICTIMS WHILE IN THEIR CARE. UNBOUND NOW PARTNERS WITH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO EQUIP HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO IDENTIFY VICTIMS AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO INTERVENE WITH LIFE-SAVING RESOURCES. UNBOUND NOW'S TRAINING ON IDENTIFYING AND RESPONDING TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE CLINICAL SETTING HAS BEEN APPROVED TO PROVIDE CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION UNITS (CNE) THROUGH THE AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION. UNBOUND NOW IS ALSO APPROVED BY THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION TO PROVIDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS, WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR LICENSE RENEWAL. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, UNBOUND NOW NORTH TEXAS PROVIDED TRAINING FOR OVER 3,300 PROFESSIONALS. IN 2021, TEXAS PASSED A LAW REQUIRING ALL HOTEL STAFF TO BE TRAINED ANNUALLY. UNBOUND NOW'S HOTEL TRAINING WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO BE APPROVED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FULFILL THIS TRAINING REQUIREMENT AND WE OFFER IT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH TO HOTEL STAFF. *FOR OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2022, UNBOUND NORTH TEXAS OPERATED UNDER UNBOUND NOW, A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION, AND THE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS NUMBERS INCLUDE THOSE MONTHS.