Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking

“Together we can end exploitation.”
Informs social change that eliminates human exploitation and strengthen Colorado’s response to human trafficking

Executive Director

Volunteer Opportunities

Additional Information

Mission & Overview

Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (LCHT) was founded in 2010 and works to improve how communities recognize, prevent, and respond to human trafficking through education, research, training,and a 24/7 hotline that provides cross-sector support. Human trafficking is often difficult to identify, with victims interacting with healthcare systems, schools, shelters, and community organizations without receiving the support they need. LCHT equips professionals and systems — including healthcare providers, law enforcement, educators, and community organizations — with the tools and knowledge to better identify and support victims of trafficking. Their work is grounded in research, data, and survivor-informed practices.

Who They Serve

The vast majority of LCHT’s victims, survivors and program participants (i.e. healthcare workers, law enforcement, teachers etc) are located in the metro Denver area. However, the organization is recognized nationally for its decades-long research in human trafficking awareness and prevention. Its research and training models are shared across the country, and it is currently the only organization in Colorado focused specifically on this systems-based approach to combating human trafficking.

What Needs They Address and Why Now

Awareness of human trafficking has increased substantially in recent years, but funding and coordinated system responses have not kept pace. Victims often encounter frontline systems — including healthcare, education, law enforcement, and social services — without being identified or connected to support. LCHT works to strengthen these systems through professional training, research, and collaboration designed to improve victim identification, response, and long-term support.

LCHT’s work focuses on several key areas:● Connecting individuals to critical support services and legal assistance through a 24/7 volunteer-staffed hotline
● Expanding system-based education and professional training
● Conducting survivor-informed research to shape policy and best practices
● Strengthening coordination across sectors and agencies
Demand for services continues to exceed current capacity, particularly related to hotline support, resource navigation, and training requests.

LCHT is recognized as a leader in human trafficking prevention and response through its research-informed and survivor-centered approach. The organization intentionally focuses on systems most likely to encounter victims, particularly healthcare and youth-serving organizations. Programs are highly data-informed and grounded in both research and lived experience, with survivors actively helping shape research priorities and program direction to ensure services remain responsive and community-centered.

The Impact of Funding

Over the next 12–24 months, LCHT’s priorities include expanding training programs, increasing hotline and resource navigation capacity, and strengthening staffing and research efforts. Impact100 funding would directly support expansion of hotline and service capacity, allowing the organization to meet growing demand and continue scaling its programs.
Additional funding would help LCHT reach more frontline professionals, improve coordination across systems, and connect more victims and survivors to critical support resources.

Overview of Results & Impact

LCHT has demonstrated significant reach and impact. To date, the organization has trained more than 90,000 individuals and fields approximately 1,000 hotline interactions annually, connecting individuals to more than 250 organizations and resources. Success is measured through training reach, hotline utilization, cross-sector engagement, and system collaboration.

Past successes include scaling training efforts, building strong partnerships across sectors, and increasing awareness and identification within frontline systems. The organization benefits from experienced leadership, an engaged board, and strong strategic oversight.

Summary

As awareness of human trafficking continues to grow, communities and frontline systems need stronger tools, training, and coordination to identify and support victims effectively. LCHT’s research-informed and survivor-centered approach positions the organization to strengthen system responses both locally and nationally. A grant from Impact100 would help expand critical hotline, training, and resource navigation services while increasing the organization’s ability to connect victims and survivors with the support they need.