ADVOCATE | EDUCATE | COLLABORATE
Mississippi LEGISLATION
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
§ 43-26-1. Department of Child Protection Services created; Commissioner of Child Protection Services; responsibilities, powers and duties; employment of Coordinator of Services for Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation; duties; standard operating procedures for investigation, custody and services provided alleged victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation [Repealed effective July 1, 2028].
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(9)
(a) The Commissioner of Child Protection Services shall hire a Coordinator of Services for Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation within the Department of Child Protection Services whose duties shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(i) To form specialized human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation assessment teams to respond on an as-needed basis to act as an emergency, separate and specialized response and assessment team to rapidly respond to the needs of children who are victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation;
(ii) To identify victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation;
(iii) To monitor, record and distribute federal human trafficking funds received by the Department of Child Protection Services;
(iv) To employ staff to investigate allegations of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation; and
(v) To develop and coordinate services within the Department of Child Protection Services and with outside service providers for victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
(b) The Commissioner of Child Protection Services shall develop standard operating procedures for the investigation, custody and services provided to alleged victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
(c) The Commissioner shall require two (2) hours of training regarding the subject of identifying, assessing, and providing comprehensive services to a child who has experienced or is alleged to have experienced commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking. The training must be incorporated into the pre-service training requirements of all Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services family specialists, adoption specialists, licensure specialists, direct supervisors of family protection specialists, direct supervisors of adoption specialists, and direct supervisors of licensure specialists.
(10) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2028.