WHY THIS IS NEEDED
In 2010, young people, ages 13 to 24, accounted for 21% of all new HIV infections in the United States. Nearly half of the 19 million new STDs reported each year are among young people, ages 15 to 24. Well-planned and implemented comprehensive school health education has been shown to positively influence students’ health related knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Schools, in concert with families and communities, can play a key role in implementing effective sexual health education programs.
INITIATIVE GOALS
This initiative is designed to build the capacity of Michigan school districts to develop and implement sustainable program activities to:
* Reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescents.
* Reduce disparities in HIV and other STDs experienced by specific adolescent subpopulations.
* Reduce teen pregnancy rates. Program activities are also expected to reduce chronic absenteeism and dropout rates, while improving school connectedness and academic achievement.
* Reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescents.
* Reduce disparities in HIV and other STDs experienced by specific adolescent subpopulations.
* Reduce teen pregnancy rates. Program activities are also expected to reduce chronic absenteeism and dropout rates, while improving school connectedness and academic achievement.
INITIATIVE COMPONENTS
Van Dyke Public Schools is one of only fifteen districts in the state chosen as a partner district for a grant opportunity from the MDE (Michigan Department of Education). The initiative has been named SHIFT, or the Sexual Health Initiative for Transformation, and it will provide training and technical assistance to do the following:
* Deliver exemplary sexual health education emphasizing HIV, other STD and pregnancy prevention.
* Improve adolescents’ access to key sexual health services (e.g., testing for HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy; contraception; HPV vaccinations) available in school-based and linked health centers and/or in community agencies.
* Establish safe and supportive environments for students and staff.
* Implement policies and procedures across these areas. MDE will allot Van Dyke $5,000 per year for this grant over a four-year period; August 2014 to July 2018. The focus will be on secondary schools. It will include an additional focus on providing safe and supportive environments for a group of young people at disproportionate risk: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.
* Deliver exemplary sexual health education emphasizing HIV, other STD and pregnancy prevention.
* Improve adolescents’ access to key sexual health services (e.g., testing for HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy; contraception; HPV vaccinations) available in school-based and linked health centers and/or in community agencies.
* Establish safe and supportive environments for students and staff.
* Implement policies and procedures across these areas. MDE will allot Van Dyke $5,000 per year for this grant over a four-year period; August 2014 to July 2018. The focus will be on secondary schools. It will include an additional focus on providing safe and supportive environments for a group of young people at disproportionate risk: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.