NACCHO awarded four local health departments funding to identify and implement strategies to reduce HIV and STDs among adolescents through school-based programs. The award will provide support to the local health departments to convene a diverse array of community stakeholders to participate in a NACCHO-facilitated action planning process that will result in the identification of priority areas related to adolescent sexual health and the development of an action plan to implement CDC-developed school-based approaches for health education, health services, and safe and supportive environments. The funded local health departments will partner with local education agencies to implement projects such as developing middle and high school sexual education curricula, conducting HIV and STD testing through school-based health centers, promoting school connectedness and safety with a focus on LGBTQ youth, and implementing social marketing campaigns to increase referrals for HIV and STD testing at the local health department. The project is made available with funding from the CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health through “PS16-1603: Expanding Partnerships to Reduce HIV and Other STDs among Adolescents through National Non-Governmental Organizations.”
The selected local health departments are:
- Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (FL)
- Metro Public Health Department of Nashville and Davidson County (TN)
- Monongalia County Health Department (WV)
- Saint Louis County Department of Public Health (MO)
Congratulations to the grant recipients, and stay tuned for project updates.