Collective Impact and Strategic Planning Process: Examining and Developing HIV/HCV/STD Services for Homeless Adolescents/Young Adults in San Francisco

Hello San Francisco Community.

The Adolescent Health Working Group (AHWG) and its Substance Use Subcommittee are coordinating with stakeholders, organizations, and homeless adolescents/young adults (AYA) to conduct a collective impact project . The goal is to determine what San Francisco’s Department of Public Health can do better to serve homeless AYA in providing HIV/HCV/STD services (prevention, treatment, maintenance/surveillance) and how it should spend future funds. The Strategic Planning Process will examine existing HIV/HCV/STD services in the realms of sexual and behavioral health & overdose prevention services for homeless AYA in San Francisco. Ultimately, we will determine together what we think are priority community-led strategies and services that should receive public funds.

AHWG will hold the first meeting on Thursday, November 21, 2019 from 12pm and 3pm at 730 Polk Street (4th floor). A final meeting will be set in December 2019 with input from stakeholders.

Both meetings encourage the participation of current or formerly homeless AYA up to the age of 24. We are offering a $100 gift card to each homeless AYA participant that is registered for each meeting (up to 10 stipends per meeting). A provider will need to help their client complete our online registration form found here. We ask providers to help evaluate and prioritize registering a client who has a high-likelihood of attending the meeting, as their registration will take up one of the 10 limited spots for a homeless AYA to receive a gift card. Please note that a youth participant who is not registered may not necessarily quality for a gift card. A separate registration link will be provided for the December meeting. A youth may attend both meetings and ultimately receive up to $200 for their involvement. Note that we will require that the young person participate in the discussion process and even raise questions/concerns of their own for the group to consider.

Ultimately, we aim to gather enough narratives and recommendations to present health officials and political leaders with a vision for improving and increasing access to HIV/HCV/STD services.

If you are a provider or community member and interested in attending the strategic planning meeting, please RSVP by completing our short online form here.

Check out San Francisco’s “Point in Time Count” reports, a census of San Francisco’s homeless population.

San Francisco also has 6 partners serving as “Coordinated Entry for Youth,” which serve as access points for homeless youth ages 18 to 24 to tap into the overall system of programs and housing opportunities. Do note that families with children should apply via “Family Coordinated Entry.”