Emerging Issues
One important function of the Federation is to watch the data and work with the community to identify emerging trends and issues affecting vulnerable people. As these trends and issues are identified, the Federation works toward solutions, either by adapting one of our existing programs or by developing new initiatives.
Currently, the Federation is involved in six of these initiatives, which are listed below. Click on any of them to find out more. {clicking on one of these scrolls down to the descriptions that follow}
- Human Trafficking
- Suburban Poverty Forums
- Early Childhood Care and Education Plans
- Partnership with Choose DuPage on Lean Business Process Training
- GENESIS Project
- Project to Address Frequent Users of Healthcare Systems
This issue is at the intersection of the Federation’s previous work on immigration, diversity, and domestic violence. From 2009 to 2011, we partnered with the Illinois Department of Human Services on a federal grant to increase the awareness of health, human services, and law enforcement professionals on this issue. As a result, many cases of human trafficking were identified, and the general awareness of this issue in the community was significantly increased. The information below will help you recognize human trafficking in your community, and it will help you respond.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms trade as the second criminal industry in the world, and it is the fastest growing. Victims of trafficking are exploited for commercial sex or labor purposes.
Sex trafficking – Commercial sex act induced by force, fraud or coercion, or in which the person performing the act is under age 18
Examples: Massage parlors, brothels, strip clubs, escort services, etc.
Labor trafficking – Using force, fraud, or coercion to recruit, harbor, transport, obtain or employ a person for labor or services in involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery
Examples: Nannies, maids, sweatshop factories, janitorial jobs, construction sites, farm work, restaurants, etc.
The crime of trafficking occurs with the exploitation of the victim. The physical movement of the victim is not a requisite.
If you think someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center – 1.888.3737.888 – to obtain information and to access supportive services for the victim.
What can you do to support local efforts to combat human trafficking?
- Distribute and/or display Rescue and Restore ‘Look Beneath the Surface’ awareness and direct victim outreach materials. You are vital because you may be the only outsider with the opportunity to interact with a victim. Discreet victim outreach materials, in a variety of languages, such as prayer cards, lipstick holders, magnets, bookmarks, and matchbooks are available at no cost (see complete list here). All materials include a few key questions and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline number. To request any materials or for more information, contact Amy Snodgrass at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (630) 782-4783.
- Host a human trafficking presentation / brown bag discussion. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn the basics of human trafficking as well as discuss how they can become a part of the local framework for identifying and assisting trafficking victims.
- Join the Illinois Rescue and Restore Coalition (link: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31332). Stay up-to-date on local human trafficking events, trainings, and news. Work with coalition members to improve the anti-trafficking strategy in Illinois. To join the coalition, please click here. (link: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31333)
- Spread the word. Tell your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors about the reality of human trafficking in our communities. Raising awareness about the issue is essential to mobilize communities against modern day slavery.
A significant outgrowth of the information presented in the Community Needs Assessment has been the development of these forums. The first took place in September 2011 at the College of DuPage. The focus is to educate leaders, educators, human services professionals, and the public about the demographic changes in the suburbs and why these changes are important. A particular emphasis will be on the resources to address the changing needs and what options we may have to develop new resources or re-focus existing resources, given our challenging times. This initiative addresses all three of the critical goals of the Funders’ Collaboration’s goals by (a) presenting information to a broad audience; (b) using this information to advocate for support and build new constituencies; and (c) engaging the community in addressing the challenges highlighted by the information (i.e., improving effectiveness of the system).
Early Childhood Care and Education Plans
The Funders’ Collaboration is currently emphasizing the issue of addressing disparities in educational outcomes (one of the issues raised in the Community Needs Assessment) by emphasizing early childhood care and education. The Collaboration’s role is still under development, but it is likely that it will emphasize the development of local plans to address the specific needs of the local community by acting as a convener and as a facilitator of collaborative solutions. This role will address the first critical goal of the Funders’ Collaboration by expanding its role in information management. In addition, the implementation of the plans will focus on the effectiveness of the system in narrowing the achievement gap in education outcomes.
Partnership with Choose DuPage on Lean Business Process Training
Because of information developed by the Funders’ Collaboration on the value of the health and human services sector to the economic sustainability of the western suburbs, a partnership has been developed with Choose DuPage. We are focusing on lean process training, which is a process used in private business (an outgrowth of lean manufacturing techniques) to streamline business practices and focus all processes on the outcome (or mission) of the organization. This was deemed critical in the health and human services sector due to the ongoing strains of high demand and reduced resources. This initiative addresses two of the three critical goals of the Funders’ Collaboration by: (a) building support for the health and human services sector by engaging a new constituency group (i.e., the business sector); and (b) improving the efficiency (and the capacity) of the system.
This project (GENerating and Encouraging Stakeholder Involvement in Service) is focused on increasing the diversity of local boards, commissions, committees, etc. in both the non-profit and the government sector. The model is to use grassroots efforts with a number of organizations with ties to minority populations in order to engage local minority leaders, thereby encouraging them to bring their leadership skills to the government and non-profit sectors. This initiative focuses on the goal of building new constituencies to support the health and human services sector and improving the effectiveness of the sector.
Project to Address Frequent Users of Healthcare Systems
Frequent users are individuals who tend to frequent hospital emergency departments for essentially all of their medical needs, and they account for an inordinate share of healthcare costs (which are often uncompensated because of lack of insurance). These individuals’ conditions are usually complex, and it is also likely that substance abuse, mental illness, and/or homelessness are contributing factors. The two goals of this effort are: (a) to improve health outcomes for frequent users; and (b) to reduce costs to the healthcare system. Hospitals are working on the frequent user issue, but the Federation’s efforts, in partnership with the DuPage Health Coalition, will create a more efficient and effective response to this issue.