She Survived — and She’s Helping Others Do the Same

January Story “Many Americans believe that human trafficking is something that happens over there, in some other country,” says Holly Smith-Gibbs, who heads up Dignity Health’s Human Trafficking Response Program.

Human trafficking in our communities

The unfortunate reality is that human trafficking impacts every country, including the United States. Many victims are presenting to medical facilities and emergency departments right within our communities, but their caregivers aren’t recognizing what’s really going on, so they aren’t getting the attention they need.

Thankfully, patients at Dignity Health can find hope and a compassionate partner in Christine, our human trafficking survivor advocate.

Connecting around shared experiences

Christine, a survivor herself, visits our emergency department multiple times a week, and staff inform her of any patients who could benefit from her assistance.
“The patients respond to me because I come to them with a lot of empathy, care and concern,” Christine explains. “I share what I’ve been through, and that is usually the bridge that needs to happen for somebody to take the next step or accept the help.”

Positive outcomes for caregivers and patients alike

Results from the Human Trafficking Survivor Advocate Program’s pilot year, from June 2018 to December 2019, were published in an article in the Journal of Emergency Nursing, indicating overwhelming success: Of 146 patients served, 48 (32.9%) were confirmed as trafficked.

Although most patients served were not confirmed as trafficked, engaging the advocate improved nurses’ and social workers’ ability to address indicators of violence and trauma and engage compassionately with patients, resulting in referrals to vital resources for numerous individuals.

The gift of a fresh start

The pilot period of the Human Trafficking Survivor Advocate Program was funded by donors to the CommonSpirit Health Foundation. Because of its success, the program received a grant from the Department of Justice to continue for an additional three years. Today, it is sustained by generous gifts from community supporters.

“I don’t think there’s any other health care system that has survivors leading, championing their program,” Holly shares. “Dignity Health is showing the health care space that these lived experiences bring just as much value to the table as clinical expertise.”

With a giant smile on her face, Christine adds: “We’re helping people every day. It’s wonderful.”

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Donor support helps us train well-informed, trauma-sensitive caregivers to understand the signs, and identify the thousands of patients and families impacted by human trafficking.

You can advance our Human Trafficking Survivor Advocate Program with a gift of any amount today. Your generosity is lifesaving!

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