Who is responsible for providing individual counseling to each child receiving trafficking victim services?

• A. General staff
• B. A specialized professional service provider
• C. The child’s family
• D. No counseling is required

Answer: (B)

The need to provide individual counseling to trafficking victims rests on ensuring the child receives clinical, trauma-informed mental health care from someone with specialized training. A specialized professional service provider—such as a licensed mental health professional or similarly credentialed clinician with expertise in trauma and child trafficking—can accurately assess, diagnose, and treat the unique effects of trauma, provide evidence-based therapies, and develop an individualized treatment plan. They also handle important clinical responsibilities like maintaining confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, monitoring progress, and coordinating with other services, which general staff are not equipped to do in a therapeutic capacity. While supportive staff and family involvement can play important roles in a child’s overall care, the actual counseling should be delivered by a qualified professional to meet the child’s mental health needs safely and effectively. The option that suggests no counseling is required does not align with best practices and regulatory expectations for supporting trafficking victims.