More about HYHIL

Approximately 20,000 new HIV infections occur in youth between 13 and 24 years of age in the United States. Many youth do not know they are infected or receive adequate medical treatment. Many youth with high-risk behaviors are not in schools nor structured programs where they can receive preventive education. Many of these youths confront discrimination, poverty, sexism and homophobia.

HYHIL's mission is to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in adolescents. A network of medical and mental health providers, faith-based agencies, CBOs and youth organizations created HYHIL to conduct outreach and identification of HIV positive youth, providing HIV counseling and testing at risk youth in a friendly way, link HIV positive youth to health care, reduce the transmission of HIV and STDs trough preventive education. We work to advocate for services tailored to teens, look for funding to attempt to close gaps in services that would might cause youth to get lost in the system.

We have learned that to prevent HIV and STDs we needed to go out of the HIV network and involve any organization that works with youth. By collaborating rather than competing, we can use existing resources and provide a greater amount and more effective services to the youth. We can empower the community to advocate for youth services that take into account their needs. In addition, we have learned that by using adolescents as consultants and as aids to provide the services, it keeps us more competent and relevant.