By: Khushi Prakash
This blog post is part of a multi-part series exploring how Washington State is implementing Senate Bill 5453 and what these efforts mean for communities, service providers, and survivors. Part One of this series introduced the foundation of the law and Washington’s planned approach to training, prevention, and community engagement. Part Two builds on that discussion by looking at how other states have implemented FGM/C laws and what lessons Washington can draw from their experiences.
Washington State’s Senate Bill 5453, signed in April 2023, strengthened FGM/C protections by criminalizing FGM/C, classifying it as child abuse, enabling civil lawsuits by survivors, and mandating a DOH-led education and prevention program. To fulfill the community collaboration requirement, the DOH awarded contracts to three organizations, Mother Africa, Sahiyo, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network, to develop training for healthcare providers, social workers, and state agencies.
What Other States with Education and Outreach Provisions are Doing
Many other states, such as Massachusetts, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Virginia, have taken meaningful steps toward implementing the education and outreach components of their laws addressing FGM/C. Below, we will dive into the specifics of the current FGM/C policy landscape in each state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts passed a law banning FGM/C in 2020, and since then, the Department of Public Health has implemented informational education on its website and developed materials. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in continuing to provide additional information. Finally, in 2025, a more in-depth educational program on FGM/C was initiated in the state, carried out largely through coalition-building. The HOPE MA Coalition, led by Sahiyo, the UMass Chan Medical School’s Collaborative in Health Equity, and the U.S. End FGM/C Network, aims to unite healthcare, social services, law enforcement, public health, and community-based organizations to address both the immediate needs of survivors and the long-term systemic changes required to prevent FGM/C statewide.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Department of Health (DOH) has collaborated with numerous organizations, such as the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the Arkansas State Police, the State Nursing Board, and more, to develop strategies for increased awareness about FGM/C within the state. The DOH ultimately created an FGM/C factsheet for professionals working in education, law enforcement, as well as for the general public to use to gain a better understanding of the harms of FGM/C.
Minnesota
Minnesota’s Department of Human Services partnered with the Refugee and International Health program as well as the International Institute of Minnesota (IIMN) to create the Minnesota Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Prevention and Outreach Working Group. The group’s primary purpose is to provide outreach to FGC-impacted communities and recommendations for appropriate messaging, along with training and resources for healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) also developed provider-facing resources to facilitate training for healthcare and social service providers. These resources cover mandated reporting laws, the background and context of FGC, risk factors, signs of FGM/C, community engagement strategies, and response protocols, along with a referral directory of FGM/C services and community organizations.
Michigan
Following the high-profile 2017 case in which a doctor was charged with performing FGM/C on minors, the state moved to ensure that police officers were prepared to recognize and respond to the FGM/C. The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) maintains a formal FGM training requirement as part of its in-service training standards, making it one of the few states to institutionalize FGM/C-specific training for police officers through a state licensing body.
New York City, New York
Local Law 109 of 2021 established an FGM/C Advisory Committee, chaired by the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. The committee was tasked with developing recommendations to improve access to guidelines and training for educators, nonprofits, law enforcement, and healthcare providers; strengthen coordination of systems and services; and gather input from community and faith-based groups, advocacy organizations, and survivors.
Virginia
Virginia passed legislation to incorporate FGM/C into family life education for middle schoolers and high schoolers by requiring age-appropriate instruction on the harmful physical and emotional effects of FGM/C, associated criminal penalties, and survivors’ rights. Prior to Virginia’s FGM/C law, the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation developed school curriculum resources and training materials, including a toolkit created in collaboration with the Council of Great City Schools on how to prevent FGM/C in schools. Work is now being done to implement this training curriculum in school districts.
Training for Different Types of Professionals
Across these examples, healthcare providers and law enforcement remain two of the most important audiences for FGM/C education. Clinicians may be among the first professionals to support survivors or identify someone at risk, while law enforcement may be responsible for assessing immediate safety concerns and coordinating with healthcare, child welfare, or other entities. Yet both groups often receive limited training on how to respond to FGM/C effectively, sensitively, and without reinforcing stigma or fear.
For healthcare providers, training should go beyond recognizing the signs of FGM/C and include risk assessment, mandated reporting, trauma-informed communication, and culturally responsive care. For law enforcement, training should address legal definitions and penalties, risk factors, survivor-centered interview approaches, and coordination with community-based organizations. Across both professions, the strongest trainings are those developed with community and survivor input, ensuring that professionals understand what FGM/C is and how to respond in culturally sensitive ways.
How Washington can use Lessons from other States for its own Program
Washington state is already in a strong starting position because of its legislative mandate and the partnerships developed through the Request for Proposal process. Still, the experiences of other states offer important lessons for implementation.
Minnesota’s model shows the value of funding community-led outreach through trusted organizations, particularly through intergenerational workshops, faith leader engagement, peer education, and culturally grounded prevention messaging. Michigan highlights the importance of preparing law enforcement and other frontline professionals to recognize and respond to FGM/C appropriately. New York City’s committee demonstrates the value of ongoing coordination among survivors, community organizations, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and government agencies.
For Washington, the next step is to ensure that implementation does not stop at initial training or resource development. Prevention efforts should be funded, updated, publicized, and connected to clear referral pathways. Community-based organizations should remain central partners alongside leaders in shaping how programs are designed and delivered. Training should be repeated and adapted for different professional audiences, and public accountability mechanisms should help track what has been implemented, what gaps remain, and how communities are being reached.
This blog post is part of a multi-part series exploring how Washington State is implementing Senate Bill 5453 and what these efforts mean for communities, service providers, and survivors. Part One of this series introduced the foundation of the law and Washington’s planned approach to training, prevention, and community engagement. Part Two builds on that discussion by looking at how other states have implemented FGM/C laws and what lessons Washington can draw from their experiences.
Washington State’s Senate Bill 5453, signed in April 2023, strengthened FGM/C protections by criminalizing FGM/C, classifying it as child abuse, enabling civil lawsuits by survivors, and mandating a DOH-led education and prevention program. To fulfill the community collaboration requirement, the DOH awarded contracts to three organizations, Mother Africa, Sahiyo, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network, to develop training for healthcare providers, social workers, and state agencies.
What Other States with Education and Outreach Provisions are Doing
Many other states, such as Massachusetts, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Virginia, have taken meaningful steps toward implementing the education and outreach components of their laws addressing FGM/C. Below, we will dive into the specifics of the current FGM/C policy landscape in each state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts passed a law banning FGM/C in 2020, and since then, the Department of Public Health has implemented informational education on its website and developed materials. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in continuing to provide additional information. Finally, in 2025, a more in-depth educational program on FGM/C was initiated in the state, carried out largely through coalition-building. The HOPE MA Coalition, led by Sahiyo, the UMass Chan Medical School’s Collaborative in Health Equity, and the U.S. End FGM/C Network, aims to unite healthcare, social services, law enforcement, public health, and community-based organizations to address both the immediate needs of survivors and the long-term systemic changes required to prevent FGM/C statewide.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Department of Health (DOH) has collaborated with numerous organizations, such as the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the Arkansas State Police, the State Nursing Board, and more, to develop strategies for increased awareness about FGM/C within the state. The DOH ultimately created an FGM/C factsheet for professionals working in education, law enforcement, as well as for the general public to use to gain a better understanding of the harms of FGM/C.
Minnesota
Minnesota’s Department of Human Services partnered with the Refugee and International Health program as well as the International Institute of Minnesota (IIMN) to create the Minnesota Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Prevention and Outreach Working Group. The group’s primary purpose is to provide outreach to FGC-impacted communities and recommendations for appropriate messaging, along with training and resources for healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) also developed provider-facing resources to facilitate training for healthcare and social service providers. These resources cover mandated reporting laws, the background and context of FGC, risk factors, signs of FGM/C, community engagement strategies, and response protocols, along with a referral directory of FGM/C services and community organizations.
Michigan
Following the high-profile 2017 case in which a doctor was charged with performing FGM/C on minors, the state moved to ensure that police officers were prepared to recognize and respond to the FGM/C. The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) maintains a formal FGM training requirement as part of its in-service training standards, making it one of the few states to institutionalize FGM/C-specific training for police officers through a state licensing body.
New York City, New York
Local Law 109 of 2021 established an FGM/C Advisory Committee, chaired by the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. The committee was tasked with developing recommendations to improve access to guidelines and training for educators, nonprofits, law enforcement, and healthcare providers; strengthen coordination of systems and services; and gather input from community and faith-based groups, advocacy organizations, and survivors.
Virginia
Virginia passed legislation to incorporate FGM/C into family life education for middle schoolers and high schoolers by requiring age-appropriate instruction on the harmful physical and emotional effects of FGM/C, associated criminal penalties, and survivors’ rights. Prior to Virginia’s FGM/C law, the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation developed school curriculum resources and training materials, including a toolkit created in collaboration with the Council of Great City Schools on how to prevent FGM/C in schools. Work is now being done to implement this training curriculum in school districts.
Training for Different Types of Professionals
Across these examples, healthcare providers and law enforcement remain two of the most important audiences for FGM/C education. Clinicians may be among the first professionals to support survivors or identify someone at risk, while law enforcement may be responsible for assessing immediate safety concerns and coordinating with healthcare, child welfare, or other entities. Yet both groups often receive limited training on how to respond to FGM/C effectively, sensitively, and without reinforcing stigma or fear.
For healthcare providers, training should go beyond recognizing the signs of FGM/C and include risk assessment, mandated reporting, trauma-informed communication, and culturally responsive care. For law enforcement, training should address legal definitions and penalties, risk factors, survivor-centered interview approaches, and coordination with community-based organizations. Across both professions, the strongest trainings are those developed with community and survivor input, ensuring that professionals understand what FGM/C is and how to respond in culturally sensitive ways.
How Washington can use Lessons from other States for its own Program
Washington state is already in a strong starting position because of its legislative mandate and the partnerships developed through the Request for Proposal process. Still, the experiences of other states offer important lessons for implementation.
Minnesota’s model shows the value of funding community-led outreach through trusted organizations, particularly through intergenerational workshops, faith leader engagement, peer education, and culturally grounded prevention messaging. Michigan highlights the importance of preparing law enforcement and other frontline professionals to recognize and respond to FGM/C appropriately. New York City’s committee demonstrates the value of ongoing coordination among survivors, community organizations, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and government agencies.
For Washington, the next step is to ensure that implementation does not stop at initial training or resource development. Prevention efforts should be funded, updated, publicized, and connected to clear referral pathways. Community-based organizations should remain central partners alongside leaders in shaping how programs are designed and delivered. Training should be repeated and adapted for different professional audiences, and public accountability mechanisms should help track what has been implemented, what gaps remain, and how communities are being reached.
