TP1AH000298

Advancing Health Equity: U Choose 3-C Project - Advancing Health Equity Among Baltimore Youth: UChoose 3-C

The Baltimore City Health Department will implement a five-year, multi-site, community-wide project that builds on current efforts to advance health equity among Baltimore youth. Our target reach is 11,500 youth and 11,500 adults annually. Our five-year goal is to address historic inequities in adolescent sexual health outcomes among 50,000 15–24-year-old Baltimore youth through the implementation of evidence-based, culturally appropriate, and inclusive programs in three settings. We will also focus on building the capacity of youth-serving professionals to apply trauma-informed approaches and integrate a reproductive justice framework into their work.

UChoose3-C represents a collaboration with several youth-serving systems, including Title X clinics, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development, Housing Authority of Baltimore City, Office of Youth and Trauma Services, and the Baltimore City Public School System.

Baltimore has a long history of housing segregation, leaving many communities with persistent poverty. In 2021, nearly 1 in 3 young adults living in Baltimore were poor. In the last decade, young Baltimoreans, ages 18 to 24, experienced high poverty rates, ranging from about 30% to 35% between 2011 and 2017. The poverty rate of Baltimore's young adults dipped to 22% in 2019 but then rose again to 30% in 2021, primarily as a result of COVID. The areas most affected by poverty also exhibit the highest rates of teen births and STIs/HIV.

Targeting these areas, as well as other populations at risk, including LGBTQ and opportunity youth, BCHD will utilize advisory groups consisting of youth and community members to select appropriate evidence-based programs. These programs will then be implemented in clinics, classrooms, and communities across the city. UChoose3-C represents a collaboration with 80 city schools, eight (8) Title X clinics and school-based health centers, and three (3) community programs run through the Mayor's Office.

We propose reaching 7,500 middle and high school youth annually with evidence-based programs in health education sessions 1 and 2. Additionally, we aim to reach 2,000 youth across the clinic sites, including those with a focus on LGBTQ, opportunity, and Latinx youth, and 2,000 youth across several community sites. Our team of trainers from Healthy Teen Network, project managers from BCHD, and evaluators from Johns Hopkins have worked effectively since 2015 to bring evidence-based programs to over 43,000 youth in Baltimore. We are excited for this opportunity to build on past successes while expanding our reach and depth by working with more age groups, community partners, and special populations.

In addition, we plan to support parents and community members with education resources and supports that will help them support their youth. In 2023, BCHD adopted a new youth strategy that utilizes a reproductive justice frame to address the historical inequities seen among Baltimore youth. UChoose3-C will help to implement this strategy by training project staff on using a reproductive justice frame. Project staff will also receive training on selected evidence-based programs, providing youth-friendly services, using trauma-informed approaches, and other topics to be determined. This training will build their capacity to support positive outcomes and sustain this effort beyond the funding period.

City Of Baltimore

NOT APPLICABLE

93.297 - Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program

HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) [HHS]

Office of Adolescent Health [HHS - OASH]

Maryland United States

State-Wide

Advancing Equity in Adolescent Health through Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs and Services (AH-TP1-23-001)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 200% from $1,833,960 to $5,501,880.