Ohio Bill Targets Child Trafficking Prevention Through School Screenings
A new bill at the Ohio Statehouse seeks to bring all public schools together in a unified effort to prevent and stop the human trafficking of children. House Bill 431, introduced by State Rep. Josh Williams of Sylvania Township, would require the use of the Focus Youth Screening Tool in public schools statewide.
Ohio has long ranked among the top states for human trafficking cases, and Williams noted that his hometown of Toledo is consistently listed among the worst cities for juvenile sex trafficking. He said the bill is about prevention, not just punishment, and about reassuring families that children are safer in schools.
The Focus Youth Screening Tool was developed over three years by the University of Toledo’s Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute in partnership with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
It is a short, non-traumatizing questionnaire written at a fifth-grade level that can be completed in under 15 minutes.
The tool is designed to determine whether a child is at risk or already being trafficked. Names and personal details would not be shared publicly, but the information would allow the state to build a clearer picture of where the risks are highest and target resources to those areas.
Dr. Celia Williamson, who directs the institute, said the tool will take guesswork out of the process and allow schools to identify children in danger. Training for school personnel would begin in 2026, with screenings starting in the 2027-28 school year.
The bill may be wrapped into the Human Trafficking Prevention Act, which has already passed the Ohio House unanimously and is awaiting review in the Senate. That legislation would increase penalties for human trafficking of children under 13 years old and for trafficking affected persons with developmental disabilities.
At its core, this effort reflects a fundamental principle: every child has the right to grow up free from exploitation and abuse, and to be protected from human trafficking in all its forms.
