What is LEAHP?

The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and Child Trends in partnership with the National Association of State Boards of Education(NASBE) established the Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion, or LEAHP (pronounced LEEP) in 2019. LEAHP is a learning collaborative of multi-sector, state-level leadership teams with the goal to develop state-specific action plans in support of policy assessment, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to address adolescent health in three priority areas: sexual health education (SHE),sexual health services (SHS), and safe and supportive environments(SSE). Participants of LEAHP benefit from peer-to-peer collaboration, in depth training from subject matter experts, access to scientific research and data, and concentrated, state-specific technical assistance.

Our Goals

To develop state-specific action plans in support of policy assessment, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to address adolescent health in three priority areas: sexual health education (SHE), sexual health services (SHS), and safe and supportive environments (SSE).

Our Team

• Cleaner, more professional existence
• Central location to find online trainings
• Community building; a space to collaborate
• Provide a way to contact LEAHP: creating a space for prospective states and interested people to reach out and connect

"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, NCSD

Heading 4: What is Involved in LEAHP?

We will recruit, train, and provide support to state leadership teams from across the country, building their capacity to develop actionable strategies and make research-informed policy decisions to address adolescent health in three priority areas: sexual health education (SHE), sexual health services (SHS), and safe and supportive environments (SSE). Participants will have opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration, training from issue-area experts, and technical assistance tailored to their state’s specific needs. The learning collaborative consists of multiple cohorts of state teams. The state teams within this cohort will be expected to attend virtual convening sessions spread out over two weeks, between November 9 and November 20, 2020.

Heading 5: Why are we focusing on SHE, SHS, and SSE?

Health and education policies provide a foundation for school practices and procedures. Policies that govern sexual health education in schools, safe and supportive environments, and adolescent access to sexual health services are critical to HIV and STD prevention among adolescents. Knowledge and understanding of the policies under which school health-related programs operate can help to maximize the positive impact of these programs on health outcomes and academic success.