Covenant House New Jersey was founded in 1989 to serve youth facing homelessness and exploitation. Over time, we learned many of our young people were human trafficking survivors and needed specialized services and support. So, we invested time and research to learn how to best service these survivors with compassion and confidentiality.
Today, we maintain our commitment to young people facing homelessness and we also serve as the New Jersey state-designated agency for all human trafficking victims, regardless of age or housing status.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
1989
Founded as an organization to serve youth experiencing homelessness, quickly learn many of our young people are also survivors of human trafficking.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2015
Research begins on creation of a trauma-informed tool to screen potential human trafficking victims. This research will become the QYIT Tool in 2017.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2017
Landmark study, “Recognizing Human Trafficking Among Homeless Youth” is published and QYIT tool is launched.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2018
Training Begins on Quick Youth Indicators for Trafficking (QYIT) - Covenant House New Jersey takes its innovative, trauma-informed screening tool to other community partners to help identify human trafficking survivors.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2019
National QYIT training begins with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2020
Covenant House New Jersey named statewide anti-human trafficking services point of entry and begins to assist all victims in New Jersey regardless of age or housing status.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2022
Covenant House New Jersey is tapped to train all Covenant House sites in the U.S., Canada and Central America on how to identify and better serve human trafficking survivors.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2023
CHART Team (Covenant House Action and Research Tank) and Harvard University researchers co-author landmark study on labor trafficking by forced criminality, examining how victims are often misidentified within the justice system.
Covenant House New Jersey's Anti-Human Trafficking History
2025
Covenant House New Jersey launches pilot program with local police department to ensure human trafficking victims are provided support and recovery services.
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Program Information
24/7 call center support, case management, and case coordination for survivors of human trafficking of any age and any housing status in the State of New Jersey.
More than the Matches: CHNJ’s Mission During the World Cup
As the World Cup approaches, Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ) has been busily preparing for it. Not with soccer skills, nor betting pools, nor watch parties – we’ve been focused on one of our core areas of our work – serving victims of human trafficking.
Recognizing Human Trafficking Among Homeless Youth.
A 2017 landmark study quantifying prevalence of human trafficking among homeless youth and introduction of QYIT screening tool.
How We Created QYIT
For 37 years, Covenant House has been a refuge for youth experiencing homelessness.
Fighting Human Trafficking Together
Human trafficking inflicts violence, threats of violence and coercion on its victims. What’s more, victims are often at risk even when they are trying to get help.
Labor Trafficking and Forced Criminality.
2023 report that identified how victims of labor trafficking are often seen as criminals and don't get the help they need.
The Intersection Between Youth with Disabilities and Human Trafficking Victims.
2025 report detaileing the links between youth with special education plans, homelessness and sex trafficking.
QYIT Tool
Identifying human trafficking victims in a trauma-informed manner.
S.T.A.R Program
Pilot program to identify and support victims in New Jersey
Donate to CHNJ
Your donation is essential in providing our youth with the necessary tools to make the transition from CHNJ.