Caring for Some of the Most Vulnerable Among Us

The Mission of the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Response Team:

Inspired by Christ’s loving ministry and Ascension St. John’s mission, we serve the most vulnerable, focusing on individuals affected by human trafficking. Through education, awareness, and advocacy, we enable our community to recognize and respond to all forms of trafficking, ensuring that victims find safety and resources. By building partnerships and offering compassionate care alongside wraparound services, we empower survivors as they heal, restoring dignity, hope, and freedom.

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As a volunteer at homeless shelters in her native Southern California, Sara Gadd saw firsthand the impact of human trafficking. This was years before the topic became part of a national conversation, as stories of human trafficking of adults, teens and children went from a trickle to a flood. 

Gadd recognized her calling to be an advocate for these victims. She moved to Oklahoma and began working for the Tulsa County Sheriff's office, where she assisted people who had experienced human trafficking in its various forms. Her role included coordinating awareness and education opportunities in the community and collaborating with law enforcement and other agencies that battle human trafficking locally and nationally.

In 2013, Gadd became a founding member of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Human Trafficking (OCAT), an organization that consists of more than 50 organizations, community members, and eight survivor leaders. OCAT member organizations encompass healthcare, education, law enforcement, social services, mental health, shelters, and mentoring programs. 

Five years later, Gadd served as Chairman of the Board for Unlock Freedom, a nonprofit organization that developed a human trafficking education and prevention curriculum that is still being used in school systems across the nation.

In 2018, when Ascension St. John was developing its human trafficking program—modeled after a similar program at Ascension Kansas—Sara Gadd was the natural choice to manage it.

“Those who experience human trafficking are often overlooked, misunderstood, or considered willing participants in the horrific things they experience,” says Gadd. “Many victims have shared with our team that they do not feel as though they have ever been seen or heard. They did not believe resources existed for their situation and/or they believed it was their fault, so they did not feel safe asking for help. 

“At Ascension St. John, we know that we can help victims experiencing human trafficking find safety. As we have created a safe place, built trust, and walked alongside each of them, we have witnessed true freedom, and lives that once felt hopeless being restored.”

The first of its kind in Oklahoma, the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Education and Response Program was fully implemented in August 2018 to introduce standard training and resources to help healthcare associates identify and respond to the needs of victims of all forms of human trafficking (HT) in a trauma-informed manner. Training includes how to make referrals and connect victims to resources. 

Funded entirely by the Ascension St. John Foundation, the program has become a model for other hospitals across the state.

The Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Response Team comprises an executive sponsor (Ron Tremblay, Ascension St. John’s Chief Mission Integration Officer), a program manager (Gadd), an HT advocate (Lauren Pasco) and several HT response team members. Response team members are select associates who have received in-depth training to respond to and assist patients who are suspected trafficking victims. A central call center for associates is available 24/7 to report suspected cases and dispatch response team members for assistance.

“Victims access our services by seeking medical care through one of our hospitals, urgent care centers, or primary-care clinics, or by coming into our partner agency—the Family Safety Center (FSC),” says Gadd. “They either self-report as victims of HT or, more commonly, are identified by either our trained staff or community partners. Additionally, both victims and survivors can access our services through a referral from community partner organizations or law enforcement.” 

As program manager, Gadd works to train all associates on internal protocols to identify and respond to the needs of human trafficking victims and survivors. Lauren Pasco, the full-time HT advocate, is responsible for ensuring that the victims of human trafficking identified at Ascension St. John facilities, the FSC and within the community receive the medical and community-based services they need. 

“By educating our medical professionals and community members on the realities of human trafficking and providing a safe place for victims, that’s how we make a difference,” says Gadd. 

Fulfilling the Mission and Vision of Ascension St. John

Chief Mission Integration Officer Ron Tremblay says the HT program aligns with the mission, vision, and values of Ascension St. John. 

“‘Promoting and defending human dignity’ is one of the core components of the Ascension St. John mission, and it sums up our HT program’s mission and daily efforts perfectly,” says Tremblay. “Our mission is to care for some of the most vulnerable among us, and to care for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. By connecting those who have experienced human trafficking to wraparound services, we are able to empower them in every area of their lives.”

Tremblay says a primary goal of the HT program is to increase access to healthcare for victims and survivors. “Many who have experienced human trafficking haven’t been able to take care of basic medical needs and/or have long-term medical complications from the extreme trauma that their bodies have undergone,” he says “Our HT team is actively building relationships with different specialties to ensure that outpatient care is available, helping those who have been historically high utilizers of the emergency department find consistent medical care instead.”

The HT program also works closely with OCAT, the coalition that HT Program Manager Gadd helped found and continues to serve as its chair. “By continuing to strengthen our partnerships with OCAT member organizations, we can increase our capacity to provide holistic care to victims of human trafficking and extend Ascension’s mission into the community,” says Tremblay.

Making an Impact on the Scourge of Human Trafficking

Gadd says that from program inception in August 2018 through December 2024 (most recent data), the Human Trafficking Education and Response Program team assessed a total of 357 suspected victims (or those who were at high risk of becoming victims) of human trafficking and offered assistance and case management services to countless others in Oklahoma. The number of victims assisted by the program is expected to rise sharply, as training and awareness is expanded across the region.

“Just in the past five years, our team has educated 9,700 associates and community partners on the definitions of human trafficking, how to identify victims, and how to report,” says Gadd.

Advocating for those who have experienced human trafficking is crucial to helping them move into lives of freedom, says Tremblay. Many victims/survivors have never had a person help or advocate on their behalf. “Walking alongside our clients, we have found that having the support they need as they learn to set goals, fill out applications, seek medical care, find employment and housing, and advocate for their own needs and dreams is life-changing,” he says.

“Every individual should have the chance to live free, to have a life that they choose. Without this program, many wouldn’t be able to escape their unbearable situation. Without it, there really would be no hope.” 

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To make a contribution in support of this vital program, click here and select 'Human Trafficking Response Fund" in your donation designation.