The Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force was formed to marshal the resources of the State of Ohio to coordinate efforts to identify victims, create a coordinated law enforcement system to investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes, and to provide the services and treatment necessary for victims to regain control of their lives.

Fifteen state agencies are members of the task force and work to identify the gaps and opportunities within Ohio’s systems to build a more comprehensive and coordinated response to human trafficking.

On January 29, 2021, Governor Mike DeWine signed Executive Order 2021-02D to expand the Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force to include five new agencies to assist the task force in pursuing new, strategic, and comprehensive strategies to combat human trafficking.

2021-2022 Human Trafficking Task Force Priorities

Prevention

• Make available prevention and awareness materials for minors, youth, and child-serving professionals (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Ohio Department of Education)
• Conduct labor trafficking-specific outreach and training to raise awareness of state and federal human trafficking laws and community resources for at-risk populations (Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Health)
• Provide discipline-specific human trafficking training to state and local partners (All agencies)

Protection

• Increase access to needed services for survivors of human trafficking, with an emphasis on shelter and housing, case management, and medical detox (Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction)
• Build pathways to employment for survivors of human trafficking (Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Ohio Department of Public Safety)
• Reduce barriers for foreign national trafficking survivors to access services and benefits (Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)
• Build capacity of the juvenile justice system to utilize Ohio’s safe harbor law for trafficked minors (Ohio Department of Youth Services, Ohio Department of Public Safety)
• Provide resources and guidance to support local child welfare response protocols (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Public Safety)

Prosecution

• Support law enforcement efforts to investigate potential cases of human trafficking through state agency partnerships (State Medical Board, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Ohio Department of Public Safety)