Cooperative Agreement TP1AH000320

ADVANCING SEXUAL HEALTH AND EQUITY IN PHILADELPHIA WITH YOUTH EXPERIENCING POVERTY - AS DESCRIBED IN GREATER DETAIL BELOW, ACCESSMATTERS' AIMS TO REACH 1655 YOUTH AGES 13-19 IN PHILADELPHIA, AND OUR PRIORITY POPULATION IS YOUTH LIVING AT OR BELOW 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (FPL), MANY OF WHOM ARE SYSTEM-IMPACTED AND ARE LIVING WITH COMPLEX TRAUMA. THIS POPULATION WAS PRIORITIZED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. FIRST, THE PROPORTION OF CHILDREN IN PHILADELPHIA LIVING IN HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOME AT OR BELOW 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL IS NEARLY TWICE THAT OF THE U.S. GENERALLY. SECOND, THE BURDEN OF TRAUMA THAT YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS FACE IS DISPROPORTIONALLY LARGE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, AND TRAUMA IS LINKED TO WORSE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THIRD, SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (SRH) OUTCOMES FOR PHILADELPHIA'S YOUTH - AND PARTICULARLY FOR YOUTH LIVING IN POVERTY - ARE SIGNIFICANTLY POORER THAN THOSE FOR THE AVERAGE YOUTH IN PENNSYLVANIA AND IN THE U.S. FOURTH, THERE IS AN IDENTIFIED NEED FOR EXPANDED ACCESS TO SRH SERVICES AND EDUCATION FOR YOUTH IN PHILADELPHIA, AS IS SUPPORTED BY OUR WORK WITH KEY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL UTILIZE ACCESSMATTERS' HEALTHCARE NETWORK MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND ADOLESCENT SRH TO BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE SRH NEEDS OF THE YOUTH OF PHILADELPHIA, LEADING TO REDUCTIONS IN KEY MARKERS SUCH AS UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (STIS). THROUGH THREE SETTINGS - EDUCATIONAL, CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY-BASED - WE AIM TO REACH 1655 YOUTH, 250 PARENTS/CAREGIVERS, AND 200 PROFESSIONALS PER YEAR.