One half of all new HIV infections in America are among young people under the age of 25. The CDC maintains that effective prevention programs should include these young people in their planning. The Pennsylvania Young Adult Roundtables is a collaborative project that provides parity, inclusion and representation to high-risk youth in our state's HIV prevention community planning process, which has forged partnerships between the University of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, HIV prevention service providers, consumers, and high-risk youth. In 1998 members of this model statewide project drafted the "Roundtable Consensus Statement," a living document used in the planning process that voices the HIV prevention needs of young adults, as well as barriers to those needs. A new section, "Peer Based, HIV Education Programs," was added this year and identifies the essential components of such programs, as perceived by Roundtable members. The Roundtables and the Roundtable Consensus Statement will be discussed, highlighting the need and opportunity for advocacy by social workers for effective HIV prevention interventions for high-risk youth. See www.stophiv.com
Learning Objectives: After presentation, participant will be able to: - identify youth populations at high risk of HIV infection/reinfection - discuss the national, CDC-mandated HIV prevention community planning process and its role in building community partnerships - identify and replicate a model program to involve youth in community planning and needs assessments - discuss the HIV prevention needs of high-risk youth as identified by these populations in the Pennsylvania Young Adult Roundtable Consensus Statement - identify the essential components of a peer-based, HIV prevention program, as identified by high-risk youth - identify social and other barriers to the complex HIV prevention needs of high-risk youth - identify the need for social workers to advocate for effective HIV prevention interventions for high-risk youth
Keywords: Adolescent Health, HIV/AIDS
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: University of Pittsburgh/Graduate School of Public Health
Pennsylvania Young Adult Roundtables
Pennsylvania Department of Health/Division HIV/AIDS
Pennsylvania HIV Prevention Community Planning Committee
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.