Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking

Instructions | Request for Assistance
for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
OMB Control Number: 0970-0362
Expiration Date: 07/31/2021

Use these instructions to submit a Request for Assistance through the online Shepherd system.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), as amended, requires federal, state, and local officials to notify the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) not later than 24 hours after discovering that a foreign national minor may be
a victim of trafficking (22U.S.C. § 7105 (b)). This Request for Assistance form (RFA) should be used to notify the HHS Office on
Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) of trafficking concerns for a foreign national minor (non-U.S. citizen or non-lawful permanent
resident under the age of 18) who is currently in the United States and request assistance on behalf of the child (foreign
national minor). Use of this form, or the completion of any section of this form, is optional.

PROCESS FOR REQUESTING ASSISTANCE

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If there is credible information that a child (foreign national minor) may have experienced forced
labor and/or commercial sex, complete and submit a Request for Assistance (RFA) through the
online Shepherd system with any available information within 24 hours of discovering the potential
trafficking concerns. Once the RFA is started, a system-generated request number will be assigned
to the case and can be tracked on the Requests page moving forward. Throughout the process
the Shepherd system will generate emails any time there is an update on the case.

If all of the information related to the potential trafficking concerns is available within the initial 24
hours, submit the entire RFA. However, if more time is needed to complete the narrative section of
the RFA (Section 4) OR if new information arises after initially submitting the RFA, the information
can be submitted at a later date by selecting New Information on the Requests page. During the
process, OTIP may send clarifying questions to determine whether the child is eligible to apply for
benefits and services as a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons. These clarifying
questions will appear in the Tasks section of the Shepherd system.

INSTRUCTIONS
SECTION 1: REQUESTER’S INFORMATION
Provide the requester's information (individual submitting the RFA on behalf of the child) and their
organization's information, if applicable. OTIP will use this information to correspond with the requester
during the RFA process and will send any letter issued to the child to the address provided.

SECTION 2: CHILD’S INFORMATION
Provide available and applicable information on the child's behalf. For Documentation of Citizenship and
Age, identify the type of document submitted with the RFA, if available. If the child has Continued Presence
or a T visa, select Immigration Document and upload a copy.

SECTION 3: POTENTIAL TRAFFICKING CONCERNS
Indicate whether the potential trafficking concerns for the child are labor, sex, both labor and sex, or if there
are some other type of potential trafficking concerns (child in the midst of a possible trafficking scheme, child
brought to a location for the purpose of forced labor or commercial sex, etc.). For concerns of labor
trafficking, also check any indicators of force, fraud, or coercion experienced by the child in relation to the
labor or service performed. Note that the service performed by the child can also be sexual in nature (i.e.
sexual servitude). For concerns of sex trafficking, check whether there was an offer or exchange of
something of value in relation to the sex act that the child was asked or made to perform. Finally, describe
the basis of the concern that the child may be a victim of a severe form of trafficking and provide any relevant
information supporting this concern.
THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Instructions | Request for Assistance
for Child Victims of Human Trafficking

SECTION 4: NARRATIVE OF TRAFFICKING CONCERNS
Provide the narrative of potential trafficking concerns on behalf of the child, as well as any other applicable
details. If needed, refer to the federal definitions of severe forms of trafficking persons.

SECTION 5: TRAFFICKING EXPERIENCE
Provide information related to the child's history and trafficking concerns. OTIP may use the information to
evaluate and determine the child's eligibility for benefits, for consultation purposes with law enforcement and
NGOs, for reporting requirements, and for research and analysis in anonymous datasets.

SECTION 6: INFORMATION SHARING AND CONSENT
As the requester submitting the information on behalf of the child, review the Information Sharing and
Consent page, and submit the Request for Assistance.

ISSUANCE OF ELIGIBILITY LETTERS
Any letter issued to the child will be available for download in the Shepherd system for up to 30 days. The
original hard-copy of the letter will be mailed to the address that the case requester provided to OTIP when
they originally submitted the RFA. The original hard-copy of the letter must stay with the child even if they
move placements as the original letter will be needed to apply for benefits and services. The downloadable
version is for record-keeping purposes only. Note that if at any point in the process the point of contact or
mailing address for the letter changes, provide this update to OTIP by selecting New Information on the
Requests page.

ELIGIBILITY LETTER
If there is sufficient information during the RFA process to indicate that the child was subjected to forced
labor and/or commercial sex, OTIP will issue an Eligibility Letter, making the child eligible to apply for
benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee.

INTERIM ASSISTANCE LETTER
If there is information during the RFA process to indicate that the child may have been subjected to forced
labor and/or commercial sex, OTIP will issue an Interim Assistance Letter, making the child eligible to apply
for benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee for up to 90 days (or 120 days, if extended). During
this interim assistance period, OTIP will seek consultation from the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and
Homeland Security (DHS) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) before issuing an Eligibility Letter or
a Denial Letter.

DENIAL LETTER
If the information OTIP receives during the RFA process does not indicate that the child was subjected to a
severe form of trafficking in persons, OTIP will issue a Denial Letter to the child. OTIP will include
instructions with the letter on how to request reconsideration or how to resubmit the child's case.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RFA PROCESS OR WANT TO DISCUSS A POTENTIAL
CASE?
Contact the OTIP Child Protection Specialists by email at [email protected] or by phone at
202-205-4582 to ask questions regarding the RFA process or to discuss a potential case of trafficking before
submitting an RFA.
THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.