By: Jenna Stanton, CGJ Clinic Student
This week, the Human Trafficking Clinic had the valuable opportunity to tour the EVMS HOPES Free Clinic, including the specialized Blue Heart Clinic for sex trafficking survivors.
The HOPES Free Clinic stands out as the only free, student-led clinic in Norfolk, providing medical services to the community. What makes their work exceptionally vital is the dedicated division for human trafficking survivors. This specialized service allows survivors to access a wide range of care, including, but not limited to, primary care, mental health services, gynecology, dermatology, and sports medicine.
A core strength of this initiative is its commitment to compassionate, high-quality care for survivors. Every student and volunteer involved in the clinic is required to undergo extensive trauma-informed training to ensure sensitive and effective patient counseling. This training includes an online course, an in-person lecture, and supervised clinicals. Position eligibility within the clinic is assessed based on the student or volunteer’s demonstrated ability to engage in effective and supportive patient communication.
Also, the Blue Heart Clinic’s model itself reflects specialized, trauma-informed care for trafficking survivors. This includes a dedicated, secure area separated from the general clinic to promote patient comfort and safety. The area features child-friendly amenities like age-appropriate toys and non-clinical wall decor, along with on-site childcare servicesprovided during appointments. Furthermore, friendly, trauma-informed security personnel are stationed at the front of the building to mitigate any potential third parties seeking to harm or wrongfully accompany the patient during their appointment.
The EVMS HOPES Free Clinic, and its included Blue Heart Clinic, is performing truly remarkable, life-changing work for individuals here in Norfolk. We are inspired by their dedication and the impact they are making in promoting the well-being of survivors.
For more information, see: https://www.evms.edu/education/resources/community-engaged_learning/hopes/.
This post was written by a student at Regent University School of Law. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.