Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Flourishing and Strong Teens (FAST) responds to multiple health risks among teens in alternative high schools and community behavioral health settings using the strengths of Utah State University and a proven, research-based curriculum. We propose to serve adolescents in (a) alternative high schools, and (b) major behavioral health agencies in the geographical area of Utah’s Wasatch Front - Utah’s urban corridor. Taking a holistic approach to prevention, we propose the replication of the evidence-based Love Notes curriculum, which promotes healthy behaviors and reduces teenage pregnancy and associated risk behaviors. Our goal is to give youth information and skills to enable them to prevent pregnancy and eliminate sexual risk. Guided by a systems approach, we will also use community, parent/caregiver, and youth ‘leverage points’ points to connect partners with USU systems synergistically. This initiative will also amplify the voices and energy of the youth themselves to connect them and their families with services in this project, and to other community support. Electronic media (“E-Blasts”) will be key in complementing our person-to-person systemic approach. We will serve 1,250 youth, and reach out to parents/caregivers and communities across the four counties of Utah’s urban corridor to teach at-risk youth skills to facilitate flourishing relationships toward optimal health. We chose alternative high schools and behavioral health settings because, compared to their peers, youth in these settings have significantly higher rates of sexual activity, and higher risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies. As many as 80% are estimated to have had sexual intercourse, and 50-66% are likely to be currently sexually active. Behavioral health problems and sexual activity among teens are reciprocal: Teens with externalizing behaviors are more sexually active, younger at first intercourse, have relatively more sexual partners, and higher risk of STIs and unplanned pregnancies. Our facilitators will teach Love Notes, an Evidence Based Program, shown empirically to decrease sexual activity, increase contraceptive use, and avoid pregnancy among youth. In addition, community professionals and parents will have resources to strengthen their parenting knowledge and skills. Guided systemically by the five ‘Think, Act, Grow’ essentials for adolescent health, and the Tool to Assess the Characteristics of Effective Sex and STD/HIV Education Programs (TAC), our aim is to increase protective factors (e.g., self-regulation/self-control, intentionality) and reduce risk factors (e.g., provide skills to avoid sexual risk, and provide cessation support) for at-risk youth. Utah State University (USU) has a long history of successful healthy relationship programs and partnerships, including teaching and evaluating relationship programs in community settings. Ultimately, our primary goal is to empower youth with research-based knowledge of healthy relationships and healthy sexual choices. Research shows that creating this trajectory of health will support youth in building a “success sequence” of reducing or eliminating sexual risk, and enjoying the positive outcomes of healthy relationships that shape healthy marriages/partnerships and families in the future.
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).
