The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40153

Durrell Fox, BSBA, New England HIV Education Consortium & Boston HAPPENS, 23 Miner Street, Floor G, Boston, MA 02215-3318, 617-355-8421, dfoxnehec@aol.com

For years public health providers have struggled to find effective ways to reach youth and then to deliver sound public health information to assist youth in understanding the importance of and applying this information. This information is critical to youth as they navigate the many risk factors of adolescence and young adulthood. With the current rise in the population of US residents under the age of 25, especially in communities of color,it is critical to the health and wellness of our communities that we effectively reach these young people. Two of the key strategies for eliminating health disparities are to actively reach out to and engage youth in public health initiatives as partners as well as consumers. Youth peer educators have become effective community health workers by developing and delivering public health information that catches the attention of and informs youth about practical ways to stay healthy and safe. We must continue to work with these youth CHWs as they have intimate knowledge of their communities and of the youth who live in those communities. In this session, youth from the Philadelphia area will present their work and how they and their programs have increased public health awareness among youth and their entire community.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will
• -learn effective ways to integrate youth CHWs in thier programs
• - understand how 2-4 programs in Philidelphia have developed youth peer educators into effctive CHWs

Keywords: Community-Based Public Health, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.