Health Access

The Health Access staff aims to decrease risk factors for HIV/AIDS/STIs and teen pregnancy among high-risk immigrant, refugee and low-income populations. Participants learn how to “Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself” in a safe and culturally sensitive way. Discussion topics include basic human anatomy, reproductive health and risk factors, and focus on the following components:

Health Education and Risk Reduction for Latino and Asian Pacific Islander Populations: Classes are held on-site at Neighborhood House and off-site with partner organizations, and include one-time lectures by our professional, bi-lingual, subject matter experts. The focus of the lectures is to educate and inform adults over the age of 25 on topics ranging from human anatomy to reproductive health to HIV / AIDS / STI prevention. Participants are encouraged to develop individualized behavioral assessment plans to examine their own behavior and make healthy adjustments. Languages include: Spanish, Hmong and English.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention: A safe environment for teens, ages 12-18, to discuss issues related to intimacy, health and the internet through youth-led conversations and curriculum-based classes on-site at Neighborhood House. Teens refer to the service as STRIVE because “It’s my life and I STRIVE for success.” Through STRIVE teens are taught to make good decisions affecting their future. Upon completion, they are able to:

1. Demonstrate increased knowledge about pregnancy prevention and HIV/AIDS/STI prevention.

2. Increase their ability and willingness to communicate with a parent or adult caregiver about sexual health and related topics.

Success Story

Participant Snapshot: Setting the Pace for Healthy Living
Star is a 13-year-old girl born and raised on the West Side of St. Paul. The eldest daughter to a single mother with four younger brothers, she was forced to take on many maternal responsibilities early in life but she was not prepared to become a mother herself. In 2010, she was fearful that she might be pregnant after having unprotected sex with her boyfriend, who was equally afraid when she missed her period.

Together, they went to West Side Community Health Services, also know as La Clinica, and she was given a pregnancy test, which was negative. After a big sigh of relief, Star attended the Neighborhood House Teen Pregnancy Prevention class through the Health Access program, where she gained knowledge about safe sex to avoid any additional pregnancy scares and to prevent the spread of diseases.

She has expanded her network to include relationships with adults she trusts and with whom she can talk about sexual health topics, giving her the power to make educated decisions about her life and future.

Eligibility

Health Education and Risk Reduction for Asian Pacific Islander Populations: Anyone of Asian descent who resides in the state of Minnesota and is over the age of 25 is eligible to participate. Please contact Wa Yang, wyang@neighb.org, for additional information regarding the program and how to get involved.

Health Education and Risk Reduction for Latino Populations (Comadres and Compadres): Any Hispanic person over the age of 25 is eligible to participate. Participants must attend six sections of 2 hours each—Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays—in order to obtain a gift card. Please contact Maria Elena Escoto, mescoto@neighb.org, for additional information.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, also known as Strengthening Teens with Relationships, Intimacy, Vocalization and Education (STRIVE): Youth between the ages of 12 and 18 are eligible to participate. Must attend a total of 6 hours in order to obtain a gift card. Please contact Maypahou Ly, mly@neighb.org, for additional information.