2THRIVE initiative - campesinos SIN fronteras/farmworkers without borders (CSF) proposes the 2THRIVE initiative in yuma county, arizona on the US-mexico border

This border area of southwestern arizona is largely hispanic-latino, spanish-speaking, and low-income with high rates of unemployment and uninsured. CSF is a community-based nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that is currently implementing the OPA-funded thrive! Initiative. The 2THRIVE initiative will expand services geographically across the SAN luis, somerton, and yuma communities. The goal of the collaborative 2THRIVE initiative is to improve sexual and reproductive health and promote positive youth development to promote health equity among underserved youth ages 12-19 years of age in yuma county through evidence-based programs (EBPS) implemented with youth and parents in three community settings and associated prevention and health promotion services implemented with parents, caretakers, and other adult stakeholders. CSF will collaborate with 11 community partners that will implement evidence-based programs with 1,500 youth and parents/caretakers to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in three types of settings: schools, the juvenile justice system, and the community (church, recreation, and other community-based settings). CSF staff, community partner staff, and other adult stakeholders will constitute the adolescent wellness network that will guide design and implementation. Youth trained as peer educators and a youth council will actively engage youth engagement and provide youth input. The initiative will also work with the local community health center that has sites in all target communities to make its health services more youth-friendly. A summer youth leadership institute and parent and youth conferences will supplement the evidence-based program delivery. Twelve CSF employees (8.7 FTE) will fulfill the 2THRIVE initiative in collaboration with the community part ners. The participatory evaluation institute of the university of arizona prevention research center will lead the participatory evaluation process with staff, community partner agencies, and youth and adult stakeholders to ensure fulfillment of the work plan, measure the engagement of youth and adults, and measure outcomes for continuous quality improvement for reporting, sustainability, and publication.