| On January 16, 2025, Greater Cleveland community leaders came together to take a powerful stand against human trafficking during Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Hosted by the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, the bi-monthly meeting of Greater Cleveland’s Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking (GCCRTHT), brought together a diverse group of nonprofit organizations, local government representatives, and service providers. With 65 participants representing 38 different organizations, there is a shared understanding that the fight against human trafficking requires coordinated action and sustained commitment. The goal was clear: to amplify the ongoing efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking in the region, with a particular focus on collaboration, education, and support for survivors. Prevention is the Key to Ending Human Trafficking Kirsti Mouncey, president and CEO of the Collaborative, took a significant step in advancing the fight against human trafficking by presenting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ comprehensive human trafficking prevention framework. The framework, rooted in a public health approach, emphasizes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention to address human trafficking comprehensively. It spans efforts to tackle root causes, such as systemic inequities and vulnerabilities, to providing long-term, sustainable services that empower survivors to thrive. The framework is built on key principles, including multidisciplinary collaboration, collective impact, trauma-informed care, and a focus on the social determinants of health. Mouncey emphasized the vital importance of building on the impactful work already being done by GCCRTHT organizations while addressing remaining gaps in services to ensure survivors have the resources and support, they need to thrive in our community. I’m a new Text block ready for your content. |
 Kirsti Mouncey Human Trafficking Prevention Month Proclamation Presentations The Collaborative is honored to have received proclamations recognizing January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month from the City of Cleveland, Mayor Justin Bibb, County Executive Chris Ronayne, and Cuyahoga County Council. These proclamations highlight the critical importance of raising awareness, fostering collaboration, and advancing prevention efforts to combat human trafficking in our community. They also reaffirm our collective commitment to supporting survivors, addressing systemic vulnerabilities, and building a safer, more equitable future for all. City of Cleveland: Deputy Chief Ali Pillow, Homeland Special Operations at the Cleveland Police Department, addressed the role law enforcement plays in combating trafficking and emphasized the importance of community collaboration in keeping vulnerable individuals safe.  Lt. Ali Pillow Cuyahoga County: David Merriman, Director of Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services, highlighted the county’s ongoing dedication to supporting survivors and providing services that meet their complex needs.  David Merriman These proclamations underscored the community’s united front in eradicating human trafficking and demonstrated a shared commitment across both city and county leadership.  Deputy Chief Ali Pillow; Kelly Cool, senior manager of Children and Family Services of Cuyahoga County; Kirsti Mouncey; David Merriman; and Captain James Mackey, Cuyahoga County Sherriff’s Office The Centers’ HOPE Campus Update Dawnya Underwood, Executive Director of The Centers at Cleveland Christian Home, provided an uplifting update on the HOPE Campus, a critical resource addressing the child placement crisis in Cuyahoga County—a challenge that leaves vulnerable children at risk of instability and potential exploitation, including human trafficking. The HOPE Campus offers a continuum of care for children in need, ensuring they remain close to home while receiving specialized treatment and support. Among its services, the campus will include eight dedicated beds for girls affected by human trafficking, alongside a broad range of programs that promote healing, stability, and connection. Rooted in The Centers’ mission of “Health, Family, Work, and Hope,” the HOPE Campus is redefining child welfare by prioritizing community connection and long-term outcomes, offering a brighter future for children in crisis. Dawnya also touched on the growth and success of the HOPE Campus, which has made significant strides in offering both immediate relief and long-term recovery solutions. With plans for expanding services and outreach, the HOPE Campus continues to be a beacon of hope for survivors in need.  Dawnya Underwood 2025 Collective Action Plan As the meeting progressed, Eric Matheny, Chief Collaboration Officer for the Collaborative presented the 2025 Collective Action Plan, a roadmap that lays out strategic objectives and goals for strengthening collaboration, improving victim support systems, and advancing prevention initiatives over the coming year. This action plan emphasizes a unified approach, bringing together public and private sectors to address human trafficking from every angle. Critical work will be completed in 2025 to strengthen survivor identification, surface prevalence data in Cuyahoga County, assess current community resources for survivors, and move forward work on youth/young adult prevention education and permanent supportive housing.  Eric Matheny 1/29 Human Trafficking Prevention Statehouse Advocacy Day Agenda Kirsti Mouncey also shared the Statehouse Advocacy Agenda for January 29, 2025, outlining the key legislative priorities for addressing human trafficking in Ohio. By aligning local advocacy efforts with state-level policies, the agenda seeks to ensure that critical issues impacting trafficking survivors are addressed by lawmakers and that strong policies are in place to prevent trafficking in the future. More than 200 community leaders, advocates, and survivors from across the state will gather to focus on prevention and share how Ohioans can become an active part of the solution through awareness, advocacy and action. Humans Over Human Trafficking Launch The meeting wrapped up with the launch of the Humans Over Human Trafficking campaign. Margaret Thresher, Director of Advocacy and Communications at the Collaborative, and Joe McLaughlin, Director of Strategic and Client Relations at Brokaw, unveiled this new initiative designed to raise awareness, educate the public, and empower individuals to take action against human trafficking. The campaign seeks to shift the narrative by focusing on the human aspect of trafficking, emphasizing that every individual deserves freedom and dignity.  Dawnya Underwood, The Centers; Kirsti Mouncey, The Collaborative; Akia Lampkin of Jordan Community Resource Center; Eric Matheny, The Collaborative; Kohl Sprieker, Joe McLaughlin, Heather Schultz, and Sophie Bednar of Brokaw; Andrew DeFratis of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center; Marvin Hayes, Avatar Strategies; Carolyn Arny and Margaret Thresher, The Collaborative; Karen McHenry of Bellefaire JCB; and Samantha Garner of The Collaborative. Closing and Making the Pledge The meeting concluded with an inspiring call to action. Attendees were encouraged to make the Humans Over Human Trafficking pledge, a symbol of commitment to eradicating trafficking and supporting the community’s survivors. This pledge serves as a reminder that every individual has a role to play in this collective fight against a public health crisis. The meeting was a demonstration of the collective effort that is working to make difference in the lives of human trafficking survivors. With 65 participants representing 38 different organizations—ranging from government and law enforcement to healthcare and education—there is a shared understanding that the fight against human trafficking requires coordinated action and sustained commitment. As 2025 unfolds, this united response gives hope for lasting change and serves as a model of collaboration, advocacy, and action. Together, these efforts will continue to make strides in creating a future where human trafficking no longer exists. The next meeting of Greater Cleveland’s Coordinated Response takes place on March 20, 2025. |
