Bridgeport's Teen Outreach and Primary Services (TOPS) project: A model for raising community awareness about adolescent HIV risk

Rudy Feudo, Sandra Vining-Bethea, Lawrence C. Shulman, Michele G. Shedlin, Joseph A. Burleson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Greater Bridgeport Adolescent Pregnancy Program (GBAPP), based on its skills in sex education, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease prevention, developed the Teen Outreach and Primary Services (TOPS) project, an innovative teen-focused community outreach model to expand and ensure access to health and support services for primarily underserved minority adolescents and young adults at risk for or living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). TOPS is supported by the Special Projects of National Significance Program, HIV/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration. The target population for TOPS is inner-city minority youth (ages 15-24 years) at high risk for HIV or HIV positive. Services ranging from outreach to intensive case management were provided to 2173 youth in the project. The number of HIV-positive youth has increased from three in the first year of the project to 17 in 1997. TOPS provides outreach, case management, HIV counseling and testing, risk- reduction activities, and referrals for housing, entitlements, specialty HIV clinics, and substance abuse counseling and treatment. A group of peer educators has been recruited from among the target population and is trained and paired with the staff to provide outreach services, peer counseling, and education, and to assist with recreational opportunities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)49-58
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Adolescent Health
Volume23
Issue number2 SUPPL.
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1998

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Community outreach
  • HIV prevention
  • Peer counseling
  • Special Projects of National Significance Program

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Bridgeport's Teen Outreach and Primary Services (TOPS) project: A model for raising community awareness about adolescent HIV risk'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this