Oklahoma City-County Health Department

Project Name: REACH (Reproductive Education to Achieve Community Health)

Project Overview: REACH (Reproductive Education to Achieve Community Health) is an adolescent health, wellness, and equity improvement initiative in Oklahoma County focused on school, clinic, and community settings with youth populations that represent high teen birth rates; racial-ethnic diversity; persistent economic, health, education, and equity disparities; and higher adverse childhood experience (ACE) scores. The program settings include middle and high schools in three metro area public school districts, youth-serving nonprofits that offer out-of-school time programs, and health clinics that provide adolescent services.

REACH uses a holistic approach to advancing health and equity that blends best-practice risk reduction with positive youth development.

• School settings provide evidence-based programs (EBPs) in core curriculum classes at sequenced grade levels.
• Clinic settings provide both EBPs and adolescent-friendly services that are youth-informed and led.
• Community settings offer EBPs during out-of-school time programs to ensure health education and health-promoting skills practice are available to young people during non-school hours.

Peer education and leadership activities give youth a prominent, substantive role in promoting protective factors and improving health services. Relevant support services for vulnerable youth populations at higher risk for teen pregnancy, STIs, and sexual victimization will be developed using human-centered design principles. Engaging the community as active partners and strengthening health support services networks are key strategies for building the relationships, inclusive learning opportunities, and community supports youth need to thrive.

Community(ies) Served: Seven Oklahoma County zip codes: 73107, 73108, 73109, 73110, 73115, 73119, and 73129

Target Population: Youth aged 13-19

Geographic Area Served (Urbanicity of Community): Urban

Average Anticipated Number of Youth Served Annually: 4,500