Mercy Medical Center Receives Presidential Award for Caring for Human Trafficking Victims

The second President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) meeting of the Biden-Harris Administration and the first in-person meeting since 2019, was held Monday, February 13 in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. This Cabinet-level meeting served as an opportunity to coordinate government-wide efforts and announce new initiatives to combat all forms of human trafficking.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Department of State, was joined by senior White House and Administration officials and leadership from the 20 participating PITF agencies, to highlight key anti-trafficking efforts and future commitments to maintain momentum in the fight against trafficking, including implementation of the U.S. National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.

Two recipients of the 2022 Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons, including Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, were honored. A member of the presidentially appointed U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking spoke about the Council's work.

In a press statement released by the U.S. Department of State, Secretary Antony noted, "During the meeting, I presented the 2022 Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons to two organizations: Mercy Medical Center's Blue Dot Human Trafficking Initiative for its innovative and holistic approach to the care and wellbeing of victims of human trafficking, and Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc., for its tireless worker-led advocacy to advance a more just and humane migration process free of forced labor and other forms of exploitation. These organizations inspire us all to take action to end trafficking in persons once and for all."

Debra S. Holbrook, MSN, RN, SANE-A, FNE A/P, DF-AFN, FAAN, director of Mercy's Forensic Nursing program, was also recognized by Secretary Blinken at last week's White House ceremony.

Ms. Holbrook noted, "This award validates that Mercy's Forensic Nursing Program has answered the need for a community response to human trafficking. The highlight of our efforts has been to create a central point of entry for victims, assuring warm handoffs for care and safety. We want the community to know that they are intersecting with these victims everyday (rural and urban), and that awareness and development of a coordinated community response is essential."