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Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Initiative

This section provides an overview and resources for SRAE providers in New York State.

This map shows the headquarters of agencies funded through the SRAE initiative in New York State.

New York State's Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) initiative offers prevention programs aimed at delaying the onset of adolescent sexual activity and decreasing adolescent pregnancy rates in priority communities. With support from federal Title V State SRAE funds, the initiative was launched in 2019 by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). This initiative utilizes an integrated model of evidence-based education and adult-supervised activities and opportunities for youth age 10-13, together with parenting education classes for parents, guardians, and caregivers. Twelve community-based projects were selected to implement the state SRAE model through a competitive Request for Applications process.

Training and evaluation for each project is supported by the ACT for Youth Center for Community Action through funding from NYSDOH. Project coordinators work with ACT for Youth Support Teams as well as NYSDOH program advisors.

Component 1: Evidence-Based Education

For component 1, community projects provide sexual risk avoidance education using one of the following evidenced-based programs (EBPs):

Youth involved with component 1 are also engaged in component 2 activities.

Component 2: Adult-Supervised Activities

Through component 2, projects offer adult-supervised activities that create educational, recreational, or vocational opportunities. Component 2 activities both stimulate growth — cognitive, social, physical, and/or emotional — and provide a context for positive relationships with adults and peers. Youth involved with component 2 are also participants in component 1 evidence-based programming.

Component 3: Parenting Education

The purpose of component 3 is to strengthen the communication and supervision skills of parents, guardians, and other adult caregivers. SRAE projects incorporate education for caregivers of youth involved in components 1 and 2 to improve knowledge and build communication skills, especially in relation to adolescent development, sexual health, and risk taking. Education may also be provided to other adults in the community through venues such as schools, workplaces, and other community settings.

Referral

Since young people reached through this initiative may require additional supports that are outside the scope of the SRAE program, projects refer participants to service providers as necessary. Funded programs have mechanisms in place to provide referrals for substance abuse, mental health issues, and intimate partner violence, among other services.

Evaluation

SRAE projects actively use performance data to improve their services to youth and their parents/caregivers. ACT for Youth is working with each project and NYSDOH to develop and conduct an evaluation for community-based project activities as well as the overall SRAE initiative in New York State.