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Abstract Human trafficking is a public health issue affecting homeless young adults across the United States; however, screening tools for trafficking specifically for this population are lengthy and onerous. The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive, brief, and user-friendly trafficking screening tool for homeless young adults. Five candidate items for the screening tool were identified from the Vera Institute's Trafficking Victim Identification Tool (TVIT). Study participants were asked the five candidate items, and then received a trafficking assessment using the Human Trafficking Identification and Measurement (HTIAM-14), which is validated for the homeless youth population. A multivariable logistic model was used to analyze the five candidate items in relation to a trafficking experience on the longer HTIAM-14. Homeless people, aged 18 to 22 years old, receiving support from Covenant House New Jersey were eligible to participate in the study. Over 15 months in 2015–2017, 340 trafficking assessments were performed for 307 participants; 8.8% (30) of the assessments revealed a human trafficking experience. Of assessments identifying a trafficking experience, 66.7% (20) found sex trafficking and 46.7% (14) labor trafficking, with 16.7% (5) demonstrating both forms of trafficking. We validated a new screening tool, Quick Youth Indicators for Trafficking (QYIT). QYIT allows providers to screen for trafficking among homeless young adults; an affirmative answer to at least one QYIT question is 86.7% sensitive and 76.5% specific in identifying a trafficking experience. QYIT is the first highly sensitive, comprehensive trafficking screening tool that is truly brief and does not require a trafficking expert to administer. Use of QYIT at appropriate agencies will enable social service providers to systematically detect and serve homeless young adults who have labor and/or sex trafficking experiences. Highlights • QYIT is a validated screening tool for identification of labor and/or sex trafficking among homeless young adults in service provision settings. • Labor trafficking is an important and significant form of trafficking experienced by homeless young adults. • Homeless young adults who have survived trafficking may have different needs from other, non-trafficked homeless young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To explore the factors that differentiate trafficked homeless youth from not-trafficked homeless youth. Methods From November 2015–February 2017, homeless youth served by Covenant House New Jersey, aged 18–22, received a trafficking assessment. Youth were stratified based upon trafficking experience, and their responses to demographic and social history questions were examined for association with trafficking occurrence. Results Of 344 participants, 9.6% had a trafficking experience. Having an Individualized Education Program/504 plan was, for the first time in anti-trafficking literature, associated with a trafficking experience in bivariable analysis. IEP/504 plans are developed for school-aged children whose ability to succeed in traditional educational formats is challenged by learning, social, or functional problems. In the multivariable analysis, a history of arrest was associated with being trafficked while the presence of a supportive adult was associated with not being trafficked. Gender was not associated with a trafficking experience. Conclusions This study is the largest to specifically assess homeless youth's demographic and social variables for association with trafficking experience. Homeless youth who are and are not trafficked share similar life experiences, but those with a supportive adult in their life had lower odds of being trafficked. Building upon our research, future investigations exploring order of occurrence will elucidate the risk factors for and protective factors against trafficking among homeless youth, contributing to evidence-based prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]