What is Safe House Certification?
Without proper aftercare, 80% of trafficking victims will be re-victimized. Aftercare is imperative to a survivor's ability to recover and heal from their trafficking experience. Programs offering residential aftercare services have the opportunity to create real change for survivors.
Certification elevates the incredible work that safe house programs are doing on behalf of survivors. It articulates to donors, foundations, government agencies, and other non-profits the life changing impact of these programs. Certification provides clarity on the standards and best practices needed to serve survivors.
Your work is life changing.
Benefits of Certification
National Standards
Safe House Programs are evaluated on their ability to meet national standards developed by industry professionals, including survivor consultants, mental health professionals, and physicians.
SURVIVOR REVIEW
Certification is reviewed by survivors of trafficking who understand the needs, values and challenges of restorative care and seek to see the national landscape elevated.
ATTRACT DONORS
Certification establishes confidence with potential donors, foundations, and government granting agencies.
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SURVIVOR empowerment
Safe House Certification gives survivors a credible, consistent review of programs, enabling and empowering them to seek restorative care, knowing that the program has been properly vetted.
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
Certification demonstrates an organization's commitment to self-assessment, improving quality of care, and adopting new methodologies to improve the effectiveness of their program.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Certification affirms a commitment to quality and accountability to community members and increases local sustainability, community involvement and volunteerism.
"Establishing standards of care is of critical importance to ensuring that survivors of trafficking receive only the best services that are designed and delivered to meet their individualized needs. I am so thankful for Safe House Project’s leadership, filling a much needed gap in the field and helping to secure the rights of victims of crime as they go through the healing process”
- Bill Woolf, former Acting Director, Office for Victims of Crime, US Department of Justice
Stage 1
Prepare for Certification Process
Stage 2
Apply for Safe House Certification
Stage 3
Review, Site Visit, and Report
Stage 4
Safe House Certification Decision
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for aftercare certification?
Non-profit organizations who operate full-time emergency, long-term, and/or transitional aftercare programs serving international, undocumented, and domestic trafficking survivors in the United States.
Our organization serves individuals who experienced sexual exploitation while being labor trafficked?
Yes, you are eligible for certification.
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Our organization has a bed in our domestic violence or homeless shelter available for a trafficking survivor, are we eligible for certification?
Yes. Organizations who serve multiple demographics can apply if they have trafficking specific programming or services.
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Our organization provides residential treatment during the week, but sends participants home over the weekend, are we eligible for certification?
No. Due to the number of immeasurable or uncontrollable aspects of a care model that does partial residential treatment, programs that are not full time residential do not qualify as residential care programs under our certification model and are not eligible for certification.
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Our residential program has been open for less than a year, are we eligible?
Yes. Programs open less than a year may only qualify for the bronze badge.
Key Certification Documents
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Additional Information:
Certification Review Board
“Safe House Project is consistently been on the forefront of ensuring that restorative care meets the needs of survivors. This certification is a much needed step towards ensuring that all survivors receive the appropriate care that they need in order to heal and thrive.”
-Kacie Malouf, Co-Founder of Malouf Companies and Chairman of Malouf Foundation