 | California Adolescent Sexual Health
Work Group (ASHWG) |
Have you ever heard of ASHWG? If the answer is "no," that's not surprising - because ASHWG members have worked diligently but without fanfare to quietly create an organization and products that strengthen the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health services for youth of California. Now is the time to shout out so that you can take advantage of this group's accomplishments. Because of ASHWG's efforts there are:
- Comparable state data from STDs, AIDS, and teen births because it is now integrated with standardized elements for age, race, gender, and time-frame. These data tables and charts are located at the CA Adolescent Health Collaborative (CAHC) website, http://www.californiateenhealth.org/download/ASHWG_Integrated_Data_Tables.pdf
- The Core Competencies for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health for adult providers and educators. These competencies are the foundation of professional capabilities - knowledge, skills, and attitudes - to deliver effective, sensitive, and appropriate sexual and reproductive health programs and services to adolescents. Register to download a free copy of this document here: http://www.californiateenhealth.org/CC_registration.php
- Four journal publications in support of ASHWG goals and objectives that have resulted from a productive working relationship with the Public Health Institute's Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development (CRAHD) http://crahd.phi.org/
The mission of ASHWG is to create a coordinated, collaborative, and integrated system among government and NGOs to promote and protect the sexual and reproductive health of youth in California by:- Increasing awareness of ways to foster an integrative approach to HIV, STD, and teen pregnancy prevention.
- Strengthening communication and collaboration among HIV, STD, and teen pregnancy prevention programs
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Representative from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Department of Education (CDE), and key non-governmental organizations (NGO) have formed this committed group of professionals. ASHWG currently holds 3 meetings per year with 35 members representing 23 state and NGO organizations. ASHWG meetings provide a forum for government and NGOs staff to share information and network, provide input on current issues, identify collaborative opportunities, create new affiliations for mutual benefit and programmatic synergy.
For more details about ASHWG contact Paul Gibson. Steering Committee Member, Health Promotion Coordinator, CCDPH STD Control Branch, at paul.gibson@cdph.ca.gov
FYI for readers in Southern California: The Southern California Sexual Health Collaborative (So. Cal. SHC), a regional collaborative similar to and supported by ASHWG with a more regional focus, is sponsoring its first event: the Southern California Sexual Health Roundtable on September 29th at the California Endowment in Los Angeles. Presentation proposals are currently being accepted. For more information contact Lidia Carlton, MPH, SCIP Regional Health Education Coordinator, Southern California Region, at lidia.carlton@cdph.ca.gov
SWAP Resources
The SWAP database is a central location for vital resources on STD related educational and promotional materials. Review fact sheets, power points, palm cards or posters, and then download free materials that are best suited for your population.
For additional resources visit the SWAP Materials Search the site at
http://stdhivtraining.org/material_swap.html
and enter the topic of your choice in the search text box.