What you need to know:
- Commissioners unanimously renewed $3.75M, five-year contract for 10-bed trafficking safe house
- Advocates say daily waitlist shows 10 beds aren't enough to meet growing demand
- Program has sheltered 380+ survivors since 2018; advocates say daily waitlist shows need for expansion
- Aspire Health Partners will continue operating the county-owned facility
Orange County commissioners unanimously renewed a $3.75 million contract Tuesday to operate the county’s only dedicated safe house for adult human trafficking survivors — a critical program advocates say is working but isn’t big enough.
The five-year contract covers 10 beds in a county-owned facility. Aspire Health Partners, Florida’s largest behavioral health nonprofit, will continue operating the program since it began in January 2018. The program has served more than 380 individuals with over 32,430 residential bed days. Four firms proposed on the competitive bid. Two were deemed non-responsive for failing to meet requirements, leaving Aspire and Endeavors, a San Antonio-based nonprofit, as the qualified bidders. In procurement scoring, Aspire Health Partners earned 455 points and Endeavors earned 336.81 points — a gap of 118 points.
Commissioner David Scott, who served on the procurement committee, moved for Aspire’s selection. Commissioner Gomez seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and took less than two minutes — despite being scheduled on the Discussion Agenda, no commissioners asked questions.
The program matters because safe housing directly prevents survivors from returning to traffickers. “A lack of stable housing significantly increases the risk of individuals experiencing trafficking or returning to a trafficker,” said Catherine G. Raley, of the Victim Services Center of Central Florida.
But demand is outpacing supply. Tomas Lares, founder of United Abolitionists, said his organization’s hotline “receives daily calls for the need for adult residential program placement looking for beds for adult females and males.” He described the program as a “game changer” in the anti-trafficking movement but added: “The funding is helpful but the need unfortunately continues to grow thus a greater need for expansion.”
Why trafficking survivors need specialized care
General shelters—domestic violence facilities and homeless shelters—cannot meet the needs of trafficking survivors. Many residents have complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and struggle to trust service providers because of their trauma.
“The crisis intervention model emphasizes the foundational importance of establishing trust and safety with survivors,” Raley explained. “Individuals who have experienced trafficking often exhibit distrust toward service providers due to their past experiences, which can hinder engagement with available supports.”
The county-funded program fills this gap. Beth M. Watson, of the Orange County Mayor’s Office of Communications, said residents receive individualized trauma-informed care: “A resident’s day can include participation in intake assessments, treatment and service plan creation and coordination, engaging in individual and group therapy sessions.” Residents also access coordinated mental health, medical, dental, education, and job training services, plus help securing long-term housing.
Many survivors do not initially identify as victims at all. “Individuals who have been trafficked often do not identify as ‘victims’ — force, fraud, and coercion create trauma bonds that prevent survivors from recognizing their experiences as victimization,” according to the Victim Services Center.
A nine-year journey to dedicated housing
Orange County’s commitment to adult trafficking safe housing began in 2017, when advocates Tomas Lares and Lui Damiani of the Victim Services Center pushed then-Mayor Teresa Jacobs and county commissioners to create a dedicated 24/7 residential program. The county responded by awarding Aspire Health Partners a contract.
“Orange County is the first and one of the only counties in Florida addressing this need and population,” Lares said. “This has been a ‘game changer’ in the movement and has assisted hundreds of victims/survivors since it began.” Before the dedicated facility, trafficking survivors stayed in domestic violence shelters or homeless facilities — inadequate placements for people with complex trauma.
Tuesday’s vote was not an expansion but a re-procurement of the existing program following contract expiration. Carrie Mathis, the county’s Procurement Division Manager, presented the item. Commissioner Scott moved selection of Aspire. Commissioner Gomez seconded. The vote was unanimous and took less than two minutes — despite being scheduled on the Discussion Agenda, no commissioners asked questions.
Procurement outreach was broad: 8,593 registered vendors were notified; 959 viewed the request for proposals, 73 downloaded it, and 45 followed it for updates. Four firms ultimately proposed; two were deemed non-responsive, leaving Aspire and Endeavors as the qualified bidders.
Trafficking in Florida: the broader picture
Orange County’s program operates within a larger crisis. Florida’s National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 832 trafficking cases and 1,874 victims statewide in 2024. The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force’s most recent report found 411 victims assisted over 2023 and 2024, half of them minors. Statewide, 88 percent of trafficking victims sought help for sex trafficking; 83 percent were U.S. citizens.
With commissioners’ approval, Aspire Health Partners will remain Orange County’s primary adult trafficking safe housing partner through approximately 2031.