In December 2025, stakeholders across the nation gathered virtually for a public Q&A session to learn about the transition of the National Human Trafficking Hotline to its new operator, Compass Connections, a nonprofit based in San Antonio, Texas. The webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), provided an overview of the transition process, operational updates, and opportunities for engagement.
Who Is Compass Connections?
Compass Connections brings over a decade of experience in trauma-informed call center operations, family preservation, refugee services, and anti-trafficking programming. Their prior work includes running the Office of Refugee Resettlement National Call Center and operating trauma response hotlines. Their staff includes experts in mental health, law enforcement, quality assurance, and direct care.
All hotline advocates are based onsite in San Antonio, and Compass does not use bots or virtual agents. All calls, texts, and chats are answered live by trained professionals with backgrounds in trauma response, mental health, and human services.
What Has Changed?
The new contract comes with a $7 million annual budget and includes stronger expectations around:
Survivor engagement: Creation of a Survivor Advisory Board and anonymous post-call surveys to gather feedback.
Law enforcement collaboration: Development of a nationwide engagement plan to streamline how tips are shared with tribal, local, state, and federal partners.
Service provider vetting: A new "Suitability to Serve" tool will be used to assess, verify, and annually re-verify organizations listed in the referral directory.
Training requirements: Advocates receive over 120 hours of initial training, with ongoing quarterly professional development. Topics include motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, mandated reporting, and crisis de-escalation.
Hotline Operations Snapshot
24/7 service, across all channels: phone, chat, text, WhatsApp, email
Average response time: 24 seconds to speak with a live advocate
Calls per day: 240 voice calls + 50 text/chat contacts
Less than 1% call abandonment rate
Bilingual coverage: English and Spanish live coverage, with interpretation available in 200+ languages
Strict confidentiality: Only minimal necessary information is collected, and no call data is shared unless legally required or with consent
How to Update Your Organization’s Info
Compass encourages service providers and state-level contacts to ensure their referral and reporting information is up to date. Email:
📩 NHTH@compassteam.org
Victim service providers can also contact this address to join the referral network or verify existing listings.
Looking Ahead
Compass is actively developing protocols to strengthen cross-system partnerships and expand national outreach. They plan to:
Host law enforcement engagement roundtables
Collaborate with state-level hotlines
Conduct quality assurance reviews of service delivery
Release an annual public report using aggregate hotline data and stakeholder input
Final Thoughts
This new phase of the National Human Trafficking Hotline emphasizes transparency, survivor voice, and cross-sector accountability. Stakeholders are encouraged to stay engaged as Compass rolls out its full engagement strategy in 2026.
Contact & Questions:
🔗 https://humantraffickinghotline.org
📩 NHTH@compassteam.org
