TFYHI Final Progress Report
The final progress report of our Texas Foster Youth Health Initiative (TFYHI) describes the work and progress of TFYHI from its beginning in August 2020 to the conclusion of the project in August 2023.
TFYI builds relationships across child welfare and adolescent health systems to promote optimal health for child welfare-involved youth. The goal of TFYHI is to make youth in foster care feel connected, safe, and empowered and make informed decisions about their sexual health and relationships. Learn more about TFYHI on their website.
Youth in foster care are twice as likely to experience a pregnancy before age 19. Youth in foster care also have a greater risk of contracting an STI, including HIV, and use condoms and contraceptives at lower rates than youth in the general population. Rates of intimate partner violence are also higher among youth in foster care. As recipient of a Tier 2 Innovation and Impact Network Grant, TFYHI convened a multi-disciplinary learning community that sought to design innovative approaches to sexual health education. These approaches prioritized:
- Addressing the unique needs of youth in foster care.
- Supporting foster caregivers and child welfare professionals.
- Promoting systemic and sustained changes in child welfare settings.