Allies Against Slavery Receives Prestigious HHS Grant to Use Data to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking

Trends in data from Lighthouse platform empower partners to identify victims, improve decision-making, and track survivor outcomes

AUSTIN, Texas, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Allies Against Slavery, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building data platforms to accelerate solutions to human trafficking, has been awarded the Phase One Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls. The organization was announced as one of 18 organizations to receive this honor.

“We are deeply honored to receive this grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” said John Nehme, CEO of Allies Against Slavery. “This award not only recognizes our innovative work, but it advances our vision of a future where every community has the data it needs to prevent human trafficking.”

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women’s Health (OWH) with HHS launched the National Innovation Challenge in 2023, offering up to $1.8 million to organizations with innovative approaches to human trafficking prevention among women and girls in the United States. The award is split into two phases: an initial $50,000 grant followed by a second phase where eight organizations will each receive $100,000. Allies Against Slavery’s Phase One recognition will significantly advance the development and expansion of their cutting-edge data platform, Lighthouse.

Lighthouse is a powerful, secure, cloud-based data platform used by organizations working with vulnerable populations to screen for sex trafficking and improve client care. Decision-makers use Lighthouse to see aggregated statewide data in one dashboard to identify hotspots, evaluate strategies, influence policy and make informed investments. Lighthouse data can be used to predict and prevent exploitation before it starts.

This award will allow Allies Against Slavery to further their mission of combatting and preventing human trafficking through data-driven insights and interventions. With the additional funding, the organization plans to enhance Lighthouse’s analytics and other capabilities to support better evidence-based interventions, including a predictive model of risk for sex trafficking that can guide policy to improve outcomes related to sex trafficking.

HHS is a federal agency dedicated to protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. The HHS Innovation Challenge recognizes organizations demonstrating innovative and effective approaches to addressing critical health and social issues.

About Allies Against Slavery
Allies Against Slavery accelerates solutions to human trafficking through innovative data platforms and strategic partnerships. Since 2010, they have worked to dismantle silos, build networks, and shine a light on the vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation. Their flagship software, Lighthouse, aggregates national and statewide data to help professionals, leaders, and policymakers identify victims, coordinate care, and understand trafficking trends. By leveraging data, Allies Against Slavery aims to drive impactful solutions, enhance survivor support, and accelerate the fight against human trafficking. Learn more about Allies Against Slavery here: https://www.alliesagainstslavery.org/ 

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SOURCE Allies Against Slavery