We can change that.
Discover State-of-the-Art Training to Combat Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation at Your Facility.
Heidi Olson and her team at a children’s hospital in Kansas City implemented an evidence-based screening process in the Emergency Department that helped identify, serve, and treat hundreds of vulnerable children who were victims of exploitation starting in 2019.
Before this training, the hospital could only identify approximately two victims of this type per year.
You see, 87% of trafficking victims seek medical assistance through healthcare facilities while actively being trafficked. Yet only 4% of those victims are identified by healthcare workers. That means that thousands of traumatized victims’ physical, mental health, and emotional needs are stepping inside the doors of hospitals nationwide and ASKING for help…
… and going unmet.
These children and adults are slipping through giant cracks because healthcare facility staff are untrained in the delicate areas of human trafficking and exploitation.
Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting was born out of these fissures.
Heidi’s mission at Paradigm Shift is to provide healthcare workers with the necessary skills and training to identify human trafficking and exploitation. Her goal is to ensure that victims are given the help they need through multidisciplinary efforts, using systems and processes tailored to the unique needs of patients, hospitals, and their respective communities.
Research and anecdotal evidence indicate that while actively trafficked, most trafficking victims (87%) seek healthcare. However, out of all the individuals who have experienced abuse, only 4% of them are identified and acknowledged by healthcare professionals Due to the trauma they have experienced, these victims have various physical, mental, and emotional needs. They are in dire need of assistance from healthcare providers.
Using The CSES Screening Protocol To Guard Against Victims Falling Through The Cracks
Sexual Predators Are
Always Lurking
Using The CSES Screening Protocol To Help A Trafficking Victim
Human Trafficking Solutions Require A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
Finding A Silver Lining In A Young Woman's Tragedy
Heidi’s work has put a spotlight on the human trafficking crisis that is ensnaring our young people. Thanks to the clear risk factors that have been established as being significant, we now can identify patients who are being trafficked or who are high risk. Under Heidi's leadership, we have a plan of action when this occurs, and for the first time in our history, we are engaging in this difficult topic to provide the very best care to our patients and families.
Heidi’s clinical experience with victims and extensive research experience makes her a leader in the human trafficking field. As a direct result of her work, Children’s Mercy Hospital was recognized as a leader in recognizing and reporting human trafficking in Missouri. Heidi has worked closely with all levels of local and federal law enforcement including the FBI and Homeland Security, as well as community partners to provide the best care and most rapid response possible for victims. The hundreds of evidence-based presentations she’s made on trafficking and exploitation are always engaging and motivating.
Heidi’s immeasurable passion for human trafficking victims is second to none. Because of Heidi’s endless effort to provide education to the staff across our hospital, nurses, doctors, and even clerical personnel have identified patients who are being trafficked. The children of the Kansas City area are safer because of the work that she has done. Heidi has the knowledge, tools, and dedication to help identify victims and put an end to human trafficking!
If you want your hospital to take a stand against human trafficking and child exploitation and meet the demands of your community while also improving funding opportunities to ensure your facility is better equipped to handle difficult situations, then schedule a meeting today.
