The USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic and The Spring of Tampa Bay recently partnered to design a mural signifying their commitment to raising awareness of domestic violence within the LGBTQ community.

The mural, simple in design with a powerful message, is in the room where YYC providers test for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for patients ages 13 to 24 years old.  The mural is designed to be encouraging and empowering to those getting tested, hopefully resulting in patients opening up about any potential domestic violence incidents, said Lisa Sanders, MD, YYC executive director and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Pediatric Infectious Diseases assistant professor.

“In our initial discussions, we didn’t know where it should be.  Now that it’s done, we realized it’s exactly where it should be,” Dr. Sanders said.  “We can only do so much here in the clinic. So, working alongside community partners who can help serve our patients is crucial to our model working the way it does.”

Dr. Sanders mentioned that the true model of the clinic is to get young people in for HIV and sexually transmitted infections testing and education.  Ideally, patients will become more comfortable over multiple visits and are more inclined to talk to YYC providers, who are able to connect their young patients to resources and community partners, including the Spring of Tampa Bay.

Lisa Sanders, MD, executive director of the Ybor Youth Clinic and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine associate professor if Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

Kayden Rodriguez, who worked with the prevention team with The Spring, was the key facilitator in the LGBTQ Roundtable that led to the mural.  He worked with a local artist named Krystal Jade to come up with the concept and design of the mural.  The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay donated the paint needed to bring their design idea to life.

Housed under the USF Health Department of Pediatrics, the Ybor Youth Clinic is the only clinic in Hillsborough County dedicated to providing targeted health care and risk reduction services to youth ages 13 to 24 in a compassionate and non-judgmental environment.  The YYC works with many community agencies, including The Spring, to meet all patient needs and ensure the best possible patient outcomes.

The Spring of Tampa Bay is Hillsborough County’s certified domestic violence center providing survivors of domestic violence with comprehensive services and programs including victim advocacy, emergency housing, and legal assistance. The Spring helps bridge the gap between victims and many other community resources available through their various partnerships throughout the county.  Further, the mission of organization is to increase awareness of domestic violence within the LGBTQ community and linking survivors to a robust network of resources.

Left to right: Andy Lim, Ybor Youth Clinic; Angela Moss, Ybor Youth Clinic; Lisa Sanders, MD, Ybor Youth Clinic; Ellen Lynn, The Spring of Tampa Bay; Christine Meister, The Spring of Tampa Bay; Kim Johnson, Ybor Youth Clinic.

The relationship between USF Health and The Spring of Tampa Bay has been a long and healthy one.  Recently, the USF College of Public Health partnered with The Spring for a project called the “Listening Sessions Project,” which aims to understand how black and Afro-Latina women perceive and experience various aspects of the justice system as victims of domestic violence, according Abraham Salinas-Miranda, MD, PhD, USF COPH assistant professor and director of the Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence.

The two organizations focused on linking domestic violence victims to community resources to help them recover and re-enter society.

Ybor Youth Clinic by the numbers 2021:

• 2,349 Patient Visits
• 2,553 STI tests administered
• 1,363 HIV tests administered
• 298 patients treated for STI’s
• 249 patients received medication to prevent or treat HIV
• 174 visits for contraception
• 100 visits for other gynecological purposes

The USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic (YYC) is proud to announce successful completion of the Adolescent-Centered Environment Assessment Process (ACE-AP) and certification as a silver adolescent-centered health center; the first clinic in Florida to receive this designation. Funding for participation in this certification process was provided by the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County’s Adolescent & Teen Health Program.

As part of a countywide initiative to improve teen access to health services and community resources, the program launched in 2019 and has led to the placement of an adolescent health navigator at the YYC, development of an online resource directory (www.TeenConnectTampaBay.org), formation of the Teen Connect Youth Advisory Board, and trainings for health care providers, parents, and youth-serving professionals to help advance the delivery of youth-friendly care.

The ACE-AP, developed and facilitated by the Adolescent Health Initiative out of the University of Michigan Medicine program, is a comprehensive self-assessment and guided improvement process designed to minimize barriers and improve the delivery of care to adolescents. The ACE-AP is comprehensive, spanning 12 key areas of adolescent-centered care, including adolescent best practices and standards of care, confidentiality, behavioral health practices, adolescent involvement and empowerment, and cultural responsiveness.

Opened in 2012, the Ybor Youth Clinic is a program in the Department of Pediatrics in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and is staffed by health care providers from pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and infectious disease, among other specialties. The Clinic provides targeted health care and risk reduction services to youth (ages 13 to 24) and has earned several awards for its outreach, most recently the 2021 Excellence in Adolescent Health Award from the Adolescent Health Initiative.

“As the only clinic in our community specifically designed for youth, the Ybor Youth Clinic provides a safe, inclusive and non-judgmental environment for teens and young adults to access sexual and reproductive health services confidentially,” said Dr. Patricia Emmanuel, professor and chair, Department of Pediatrics in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “This certification underscores the clinic’s ability to effectively respond to the changing healthcare system with innovative and collaborative approaches tailored to the unique needs of young people.”

“The Ybor Youth Clinic serves as an outstanding model of youth-centered care for our community,” said Jane Murphy, executive director, Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County. “We are honored to partner with the YYC and continue our work together to share best practices to improve access to health services and reduce barriers to care for youth and families.”

During adolescence, youth experience disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, mental health issues, substance use, and unintentional injuries that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Consequently, the health care needs of adolescents are unique from other patient populations. Young people may avoid accessing the services they need for various reasons including concerns around confidentiality, fear of judgment, and inconvenient hours and location.

Adolescent-centered environments effectively provide comprehensive services for adolescents, ensuring that they feel well cared for. An adolescent-centered environment is inclusive of, informed by, and responsive to the needs and values of adolescents.

Connecting Teens to Health Services and Resources.

Through the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County’s Adolescent Health Initiative in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, USF Health and youth-serving organizations, like the Ybor Youth Clinic, Teen Connect Tampa Bay was created to improve teen access to health services and community resources. Teen Connect is an online resource directory and referral database for teens and young adults that provides personalized services based on their individual needs.

Over 80 supporters from the Tampa Bay area geared up in colorful basketball jerseys, striped knee-high socks and sneakers ready to put their know how to the test to support underserved, at-risk youth served by the USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic (YYC).

Held on Saturday, March 8, 2014, the first annual Ybor City Alley-oop for Youth, a basketball-themed scavenger hunt to raise funds for the USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic, was a slam-dunk!

“We thank the agencies, individuals and volunteers who came together to support the Ybor Youth Clinic – a much needed resource in our community. The event gave everyone a great opportunity to learn more about the YYC and to explore our historic neighborhood, Ybor City,” said Dr. Patricia Emmanuel, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and the Lewis A. Barness Professor of Pediatrics. USF Health Pediatrics supports the medical clinic staff at the YYC.

We had a full court press. Advocates from throughout Tampa Bay and USF’s mascot Rocky the Bull put their game faces on to support at-risk youth.

Friends, co-workers, families, patients, community organizations and businesses hit the streets of Ybor City for a two-hour hunt, covering several blocks with only a list of clues and checkpoints to guide them.

The teams completed various wacky tasks ranging from striking basketball poses in front of Chico Garcia’s Viva La Ybor mural to taking group selfies with strangers while eating Cuban sandwiches, all hoping to score the most points as they raced to the finish line for the winning title.

Teams must complete tasks such as a photo challenges. Here’s a great group shot posing with Mary at the popular spot Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor City.

The high-energy hunt ended with an awards reception and after party at Ybor City Wine Bar on 8^th Avenue. Guest speaker Cole Tyler Holt, a 21-year-old patient of the USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic, kicked off the celebration.

Using his experiences to help young adults overcome their own struggles, Cole advocates for the HIV-infected, homeless and LGBT communities the clinic aims to provide care to.

“The Ybor Youth Clinic is a welcoming and comfortable environment,” Cole said.  “The staff helped me with all my needs, from providing HIV care to addressing my housing situation. They even gave me some of the basics like socks, a tooth brush and a new pillow case for the rest of my time in the shelter.”

All proceeds from the event benefited the clinic’s operation to provide specific healthcare services to young people who have been underserved or felt unwelcome in traditional healthcare settings.

Take a look at the winning teams. To view more photos from the event, please visit USF Health’s Flickr here: http://bit.ly/PxJ7w5

The Fab Five takes home the winning victory for the most points scored.

Councilwoman Lisa J. Montelione (in red) came out to cheer on competitors at the all-day event. Here she congratulates second place winners, the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative.

Team Adolescent Medicine from USF takes third place. Go Bulls!

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications 

Ybor Youth Clinic, a facility specifically designed for adolescents and young adults, recently expanded the healthcare services it offers Tampa Bay area adolescents and young adults to include confidential family planning. The clinic is sponsored by USF Health and Lazydays Employee Foundation.

In partnership with the Hillsborough County Department of Health, USF Health clinicians have started offering confidential and comprehensive family planning services to patients ages 13 to 24, regardless of their ability to pay. Services include gynecological visits, testing and treatment for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy testing and birth control.  The clinic’s comprehensive care includes coordinating referrals to other healthcare organizations or professionals throughout the community.

The youth clinic opened last year in the heart of Ybor City to provide a welcoming environment for all youth, including the historically marginalized, such as those who are homeless; gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender; and HIV-infected.  USF faculty members from the Department of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases and Adolescent Medicine Division and other clinic practitioners provide care to these youth who often would not otherwise receive care.

USF Health pediatric nurse practitioner Terri Berger, MSN, ARNP, CPNP, examines a patient at the Ybor Youth Clinic.

One young man visited the clinic recently for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease, and Ybor Youth Clinic Medical Director Dr. Diane Straub detected the patient’s high blood pressure during a medical history and examination. He was educated about the symptoms and complications of untreated hypertension and referred to primary care through the Hillsborough County Health Care Plan.

“We serve as an entry point to the healthcare system for many of the older adolescents and young adults with little or no support,” said Dr. Straub, chief of adolescent medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.  “It may be sexual health issues that bring them here — concern about STDs or the need for contraceptives. But once we get them in the door, we can address preventive care and conditions, like hypertension, which could develop into severe health problems without treatment.  We help them find a primary care home.”

Confidential services offered by the clinic in collaboration with the health department encompass the following:

–          Women’s health, including gynecological exams, pap smears, and other testing as needed

–          Men’s health

–          Birth control

–          Emergency contraception (“morning after pill”)

–          Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, treatment, and prevention counseling

–          HIV testing, risk reduction counseling, treatment and referrals

–          Pregnancy testing, options counseling, and referrals

–          Health education

–          Connections and referrals to community programs, including DACCO, Camelot Community Care’s Homeless Youth Program, and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
The Ybor Youth Clinic is located at 1315 E. 7^th Ave., Suite 104, Tampa, FL 33605.  For more information, please call (813) 396-9021, or visit the website:
http://yboryouthclinic.health.usf.edu

Photo by Caroline Murphy, USF Health Department of Pediatrics

Project PrEPare will enroll participants at 14 sites across the country,  including USF Health’s Ybor Youth Clinic

Tampa, FL (Dec. 10, 2012) — The University of South Florida is one of 14 clinical sites across the country participating in a follow-up study of the first medication approved to help prevent sexually-acquired HIV infection in people at high risk for the disease.

Project PrEPare is a research study that will target young men who have sex with men (YMSM) – a high-risk group with the largest proportion of new HIV infections in the United States.  USF will conduct the only study in the Tampa Bay area to reach this particular population as part of its membership in the national Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN).

The study will gather additional data on the safety, acceptability and feasibility of the FDA-approved drug known as Truvada ® – a once-daily pill containing tenofovir and emtricitabine, two antiretroviral medications usually used to treat HIV.  Researchers want to determine if this pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP for short, could become part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package for YMSM in the real world.  

Nationwide, Project PrEPare will follow about 200 HIV-negative YMSM, ages 18 to 22.  USF Health plans to begin enrolling 25 study participants in January at its Ybor Youth Clinic, a new facility for underserved and at-risk youth.  
 
Along with a daily dose of Truvada, study participants will receive a full range of HIV preventive services – including a proven behavioral HIV prevention intervention, monthly HIV testing, free condoms, counseling, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and medical follow-up.  Each person will be followed for at least 48 weeks, and some could be monitored for more than 2 years.

“While many treatment options are available for HIV-infected youth, we have very little to offer in the way of medications or other biomedical interventions for prevention,” said Dr. Diane Straub, local principal investigator for Project PrEPare and chief of the USF Health Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine.

“It is vitally important to develop practical ways for young people to protect themselves to stem the tide of the HIV epidemic.  This study will specifically focus on young adults, and is the first to do so.”

In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Truvada for the indication of preventing HIV infections in people having sex with infected individuals.. The approval was based upon several large clinical trials showing that this PrEP significantly reduced the risk of contracting HIV, particularly when individuals adhered to the daily drug regimen. This means that one does not need to be part of the research study in order to receive the drug. He/she may obtain the drug by speaking with their primary care doctor. 

USF’s Dr. Diane Straub is the local principal investigator for Project PrEPare, which will investigate whether combination anti-HIV therapy may be feasible as part of a comprehensive prevention package.

Despite Truvada’s established track record for safety and effectiveness among HIV-infected and unaffected adult populations, few enrolled in U.S. clinical studies of  PrEP have been younger men, defined as those between ages 18 and 24.

Project PrEPare will target this high-risk group to gain a better understanding of the young men’s unique behavioral and biological considerations.  For example, researchers want to know whether younger men will stick closely to taking PrEP and how adherence may affect the medication’s effectiveness. They will evaluate if being in the study leads to any changes in a participant’s sexual risk behavior.

ATN, the national research network overseeing Project PrEPare, is primarily supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with additional funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Mental Health.

For more information on Project PrEPare, visit http://health.usf.edu/nocms/publicaffairs/now/pdfs/Project PrEPare press materials.pdf.

To learn how to get involved with the Tampa study site, please contact USF Health outreach coordinators Jeremiah Kerr, jkerr1@health.usf.edu or Jadawn Wright, jwright@health.usf.edu, or call (813) 396-9137

Project PrEPare was reviewed and approved by the University of South Florida Institutional Review Board (IRB).  The study number is: Pro00010056. 

-USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a global research university ranked 50^th in the nation by the National Science Foundation for both federal and total research expenditures among all U.S. universities.

Media contact:
Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Communications
(813) 974-3303 or abaier@health.usf.edu