LEAHP offers a variety of supports to cross-sector state teams of individuals working on adolescent health. Each of the core supports listed below is backed by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PS18-1807 cooperative agreement and an Advisory Board consisting of national partners.

Core Supports Provided by LEAHP

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance (TA) is the backbone of the LEAHP program. Each enrolled state is matched with a dedicated TA provider and benefits from two years of individualized TA. Through bi-monthly meetings, TA providers support state teams with activities such as:

• Assessing their capacities and identifying opportunities in their state
• Developing an action plan
• Finding resources around adolescent sexual health
• Facilitating connections with other state teams, the LEAHP Advisory Board, or other subject matter experts

Training

LEAHP has developed an interactive virtual training series. Enrolled state team members will complete two modules independently and convene as a group with their TA provider to discuss their learnings. The training covers policy pathways for improving adolescent sexual health; ways to engage different stakeholders, including youth and policymakers; and how to use data to inform policy.

Cross-State Collaboration

LEAHP recognizes that connections to peers can be sometimes be the best way to tackle challenges, which is why we encourage cross-state collaboration. In addition to facilitating 1-on-1 connections between state teams, LEAHP offers several opportunities to connect with other states. LEAHP convenes state listening sessions on quarterly basis. During these sessions, states provide updates on their work and can ask for input on different initiatives. On months without a listening session, LEAHP hosts communities of practice, where individuals from state teams and their partners can raise questions and discuss potential solutions around a particular area.

"It’s more important than ever to provide young people with the skills, tools, and resources they need to lead healthier lives."

David C. Harvey, National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD)

How LEAHP Brings Change

The supports provided to state teams result in several short- and intermediate-term outcomes that can lead to the overall improvement of adolescent sexual health in schools. One of the primary short-term outcomes is an action plan that states develop to articulate their priorities and proposed action steps. Part of creating and maintaining this action plan is state's ability to identify gaps between policy and practice. Over time, these efforts should lead to more states with supportive policy environments for the implementation of policies related to sexual health education, sexual health services, and safe supportive environments. These supportive environments in turn then can lead to state-level implementation of evidence-based policies related to school-based HIV/STI prevention.

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