Thursday, April 25, 2024
4/25/2024
Via Care Community Health Center’s (Via Care’s) Youth/Young Adult Alliance for STD and Substance Services (YASSS) program will address the HIV, substance misuse, and health and social service needs, of low-income East Los Angeles Latino gay, bisexual, questioning male and transfemale youth and young adults (ages 13-24). With a high level of cultural and linguistic competency, the YASSS program will achieve this through a) Learning via a comprehensive needs assessment the in-depth the behaviors and characteristics of population of focus; b) Coalescing organizations that serve youth around a community wide effort to address gaps in training, activities, and services; c) Increasing access for Youth to screening and high-impact prevention interventions; d) Organizing Youth to serve as leaders, creating and delivering prevention messages to their social networks and beyond; e) Increasing mutual connectivity of Youth through mobile devices, social activities and social media. An important part of the YASSS program will be to educate and train young people to safely use social media dating apps. YASSS will leverage community partnerships to bolster infrastructure and create access to community resources such as housing services and in-patient substance abuse treatment. The overarching goals of YASSS will be to organize and develop a youth-driven community wide effort to reduce the incidence of HIV infection and substance misuse among the target population and to improve access to health and mental health care, housing support services, HIV/STI care and substance use treatment for Youth. Annually: A) 250 youth/young adults will be engaged via online or in-person outreach. B) 125 youth/young adults will participate in formal YASSS outreach events. C) Conduct M-groups (which incorporate sexual health and substance use education, HIV, STI & hepatitis C prevention methods, including PrEP, and strategies for reducing/eliminating substance use) with a minimum of 50 youth/young adults. D) 100% of the YASSS participants (YASSS Core Group members, M-group participants, case managed Youth clients) will participate in an initial screening for alcohol and drug use using the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) tool. E) Administer HIV testing with pre/post-counseling for at least 75 at-risk youth/young adults. F) Administer STI screening (syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea) for at least 75 at-risk youth/young adults. G) At least 75% of YASSS participants will report decreased risk for HIV/substance use. H) 100% of those who test positive will be linked to the appropriate treatment and supportive services at Via Care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
