HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA)

At OPA, we are dedicated to improving reproductive health outcomes and adolescent health and wellbeing across the nation. We focus on ensuring access to family planning and preventive health services to ensure that everyone has the tools to make informed health decisions. We also implement new and innovative approaches for promoting positive health outcomes among adolescents. Additionally, we support a range of programs, from grants to research, all aimed at enhancing quality of life and promoting health equity. Learn more about our mission, leadership, and news. https://opa.hhs.gov/about

For health information to be accessible, it should be easy to understand and easy to find for the people it is meant to reach. Improved health literacy can help youth learn and thrive as they begin to find, take in, and judge health information more independently. During Health Literacy month, explore our Take Action for Adolescents toolkit to find practical ways that any adult – policy makers, health care and human service providers, youth-serving professionals, parents, legal representatives, and caregivers – can empower young people to make informed decisions, advocate for their own well-being, and navigate complicated health care and human services. https://lnkd.in/e4dutf-m

During adolescence, young people learn how to form safe and healthy relationships with friends, parents, caregivers, teachers, and romantic partners. This October, during National Bullying Prevention Month, explore our resources on how to build healthy relationships in adolescence—focusing on respect, communication, and empathy as key components in preventing bullying and ensuring young people thrive in safe environments. https://lnkd.in/gdtMiy6i

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Did you know that early detection methods can greatly increase survival rates? Our Title X clinics provide access to these vital preventive cancer screenings. The clinics are dedicated to offering essential health services, including breast exams, to help detect issues early. Find and visit a clinic near you for low-to-no cost services. https://lnkd.in/eK5UBsWB

The Title X family planning program is a vital part of America’s public health safety net, serving as a point-of-entry into care for nearly 195 million over the program’s history. The Title X program: – Is the only domestic federal program dedicated to family planning and related preventive health services. – Provides grants to a network of public and private nonprofit health and community-based clinics. – Delivers services that are confidential, patient-centered, and provided regardless of ability to pay. Watch the new Title X video to learn more about the Title X program’s history. https://lnkd.in/eaFwFQQB

Approximately four in ten women have hypertension (blood pressure greater than 130/80). Hypertension is a major contributing risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. It is also one of the leading — and most preventable — contributors to maternal death and disparities in maternal death. During National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week, hosted by the HHS Office on Women’s Health, use this toolkit from the OPA-funded Reproductive Health National Training Center (RHNTC) to improve care within your programs. With a variety of steps and resources, the toolkit can be customized to fit the needs and priorities of your community. https://lnkd.in/gnqRdT-V

Today is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day! We are joining the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy in bringing awareness to the importance of HIV/AIDS education, testing, and treatment within disproportionately impacted Hispanic/Latinx communities. Our page has information about different HIV prevention options, ideas to stop HIV stigma, and free resources to protect yourself and your community. https://lnkd.in/gYaTVz5f

Title X Providers Continue to Rebuild and Grow (2023 FPAR) #TitleX

Are you using the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review to choose evidence-based programs to address teen sexual risk behaviors? The recent review added five new ones and labeled nine prior programs as inactive. Check out the list of evidence-based programs to make sure your program still meets your needs. https://bit.ly/3Zbgk6o

We worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award Stanford University a new grant focused on adolescent health and well-being. This award supports policy research aligned with the eight goals of our call to action, Take Action for Adolescents™, and understand the impact of policies on meeting adolescents’ needs: https://lnkd.in/ez9GU9hq Take Action for Adolescents – A Call to Action for Adolescent Health and Well-Being is for all of us. We designed the goals and action steps to inspire individuals and organizations to develop innovative approaches that break down silos, improve systems that impact young people, and identify policies and programs that help young people thrive. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gwMM7CEb