 Holly Gibbs, System Director, Human Trafficking Response Program |
CommonSpirit Health has long been a leader in human trafficking response efforts. Recently, Holly Gibbs, System Director, Human Trafficking Response Program, received a presidential appointment to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, where she will play a pivotal role in federal anti-trafficking policy setting.
“CommonSpirit is known nationally and internationally as a leader in addressing human trafficking from the health care perspective,” Holly says. “People come to us from other health systems, asking about our policies, our procedures, and just asking for guidance. I’m glad that we’re able to elevate our influence in the health care space even more now.”
Holly received the appointment to the advisory council from then President Biden in early January. She says earning a seat on the council is a natural extension of CommonSpirit’s ongoing work at the national level.
 Members of the CommonSpirit Health Human Trafficking Response Program and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Human Trafficking Task Force met in Houston, Texas to launch a new program at the facility. Front Row: Sandy Woo-Cater, Arianne Rumley, Sandra Frazier, Kelly Reed; Second Row: Daisha Broomfield, Margaret Reed, Sister Maria Caisido; Third Row: Holly Gibbs, Daniel Alvarado, Alex Munoz |
“We’ve already partnered with the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center, which is a program of Health and Human Services, to develop the programming guide for health care systems on implementing human trafficking response programs,” she explains.
The United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking was established by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was enacted in May 2015. The council provides a formal platform for trafficking survivors to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-trafficking policies. Each member is a survivor of human trafficking, and together they represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
Appointees on the council serve two-year terms.
“My understanding is that the main goal of the council is to inform government efforts on addressing human trafficking, specifically to the executive branch,” Holly says. “I hope to advocate for efforts around prevention, education and victim response programs.”
Holly hopes that will include programs to educate students through federal initiatives. She also plans to advocate for education and programs in health care settings.
“I think there are a lot of opportunities for prevention, especially in continuing care environments,” she explains. “If physicians and clinicians are educated on various vulnerabilities to human trafficking, then they can identify different patient populations that may be at risk.”
| You can learn more about CommonSpirit Health’s Human Trafficking Response Program, including tools and resources available here. |
Holly will likely be the only council member with a health care background, representation that she believes is vital to the human trafficking response conversation.
“Studies show that victims and survivors are encountering health care, both while being trafficked and after their trafficking experiences,” she says. “For many people who are being trafficked, that's the only time they're coming into contact with a professional who can assist them.”
She hopes that through the advocacy of the council, more health care systems will have access to the tools needed to develop a program of their own.
“We want to ensure that evidence-driven resources are available to any health care system that's ready to step up and implement a program to support victims of human trafficking,” she says. “For some victims, it's a matter of life or death.”
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