Emergency Shelter for Exploited Minors of the Juvenile Justice (Residential)

The Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Youth Services (OYS), is requesting proposals from qualified Applicants to provide short-term residential Emergency Shelter for Exploited Minors (ESEM) of the Juvenile Justice System on the islands of Oahu County. Services are for exploited minors who are suspected or confirmed victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE), sextortion, and labor sex trafficking. The initial contract term will be from January 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028, for an initial 18-month term and may be extended for one (1) additional 24-month period, contingent upon the program performance and the availability of funds and budget execution policies. Single award contract for the Island of Oahu will be awarded under this request for proposals. The OYS believes that Emergency Shelter for Exploited Minors (ESEM) of the Juvenile Justice System who are suspected or confirmed victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE), sextortion, and labor sex trafficking highlights the importance of integrating trauma-informed approaches and responses, integrating public health, and positive youth development principles in the development and implementation of best practices to support, provide, and work with these vulnerable minors. These services shall incorporate a trauma-informed care approach that recognizes the presence and symptoms of trauma while acknowledging the past and present trauma as a significant challenge that impacts, limits, and intersects youth victims’ experiences. Individuals who experience risk factors (characteristics associated with negative outcomes) within their direct environment during their childhood and adolescent years are more likely to engage in delinquency and other problem behaviors. In the context of youth delinquency, the pathway into offending tends to be multi-layered with youth having a variety of lived experiences across the individual, family, social, and environmental domains. Although there is no single risk factor that can predict who is likely (or not likely) to engage in delinquent behavior, youth that are members of multiple at-risk populations, are at higher risk for negative outcomes, particularly if they share two (2) or more of the following risk factors: sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, history of arrest, homelessness and runaway youth, foster care involvement, disabling conditions, mental health issues, witnessing violence in the home, family legal problems, poverty, discrimination, exposure to community youth violence, lack of school resources, attend schools with problematic social issues (bullying or behavioral problems), or lack of community resources.

• RFP HMS-501-27-01 ESEM- HANDS Post.pdf

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• 103F13 General Conditions (1).pdf

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• Addendum 1 ESEM RFP HMS-501-27-01.pdf

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• Tammi Kahookele
  tkahookele@dhs.hawaii.gov(808) 587-5705