Register online at www.njgsaforum.com by January 27, or download the attached registration form.

2012 GSA Forum flyer V7

When: Friday 3 February 2012, 9am-1pm (continental breakfast included)

Where: Princeton University, Frist Campus Center

The featured speaker is Pat Griffin, Professor Emeritus in Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Project Director for The GLSEN Sports Project.

Participants will receive a copy of the Changing the Game Playbook including strategies for implementing an atmosphere of respect in physical education and athletic programs. Certificates for four hours of professional development provided upon completion of the workshop.

Registration open to the first 50 participants. Download the registration form (PDF) from the link below.

Changing the Game application form

In the first quarter of the fiscal year, 260 young people came in for health services. Compared to last year at this time, there is a 3% increase in clients and 5% increase in visits. Most notably, there was a 29% increase in new clients, with an 83% increase in new male clients.

The increase in new clients are the result of targeted marketing strategies and new efforts to work with high risk youth as a result of the collaboration with Capitol County’s Children Collaborative, funded by Princeton Area Community Foundation-Greater Mercer Grants.

For the last year, HiTOPS health educators taught health education workshops to their young clients, and offered vouchers for health services to those who chose to access clinical care. CCCC care managers also benefited from HiTOPS’ expertise through in-service training and individual support for the young clients they refer to HiTOPS.

Based on client feedback, the Health Center is once again offering Saturday appointments, and new services: flu shots and flu mist, and  rapid HIV testing.

Education

In the wake of national media coverage surrounding multiple student suicides, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, which was signed into law on January 5th 2011, with the new provisions taking effect in the 2011-12 school year.

The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights provides detailed procedures and timelines for reporting incidents of bullying. The Bill also requires that public school teachers complete one hour of suicide prevention, and at least two hours of instruction on harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention in each professional development period.

On September 7, HiTOPS Education staff and the Executive Director provided training to all faculty and staff of Princeton Regional Schools on the new anti-bullying legislation, and distributed materials to youth and parents at John Witherspoon Middle School carnival on September 24. HiTOPS staff attended the state-wide training conducted by the NJ Department of Education on implementation of the new legislation on September 27th.

With nearly 10 years’ experience of providing sexual health education to incarcerated youth, HiTOPS was contracted by the New Jersey Department of Education to provide Street Smart, an evidence-based, skills-building program in HIV risk reduction, to detained youth. Recently, the Street Smart intervention was implemented at two detention centers at Costello Prep Juvenile Justice Center, and an LGBT support group in Tom’s River.

Strategic Plan

Building on its programmatic strengths, the plan outlines four initiatives — Distinguish Ourselves, Build Community, Sustain Impact, and Achieve Greatness — as targets and standards for growth over the next three years.

The plan will enable HiTOPS to demonstrate impact, ensure excellence, build its capacity and performance to achieve growth, and communicate effectively about its goals and progress.

HiTOPS completed “Charting Impact”, a study developed by Guidestar, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Independent Sector for aiding organizations in strategic thinking around intended impact and helping them tell their story of progress in an accessible, concise way.

HiTOPS’ ultimate intended impact is to create healthy, empowered youth who make health enhancing choices, avoid long-term negative health outcomes and value diversity. Staff members are identifying adolescent health indicators for measuring risk behaviors and well-being.

Developing infrastructure for improving data collection and program measurement:

Education standardized its evaluation forms, and the Health Center’s intake form was redesigned, with help from Princeton Business Volunteers, to be able to collect more medical history and health information from clients, as well as more detailed information about how and why patients are coming to HiTOPS. The database is currently being redeveloped to improve data collection and analysis. With the volunteer support of an experienced database engineer, a new suite of reports will enable HiTOPS to highlight emerging health trends and issues and deliver more effective care.

Financials: Progress towards Goals

Grant proposals awarded:

• Mary Owen Borden Foundation: $8,000 for health education for high-risk youth populations
• Church & Dwight: $8,000 for Health Center services and marketing to college students
• Johnson & Johnson: $5,000 general support for Health Center

HiTOPS fundraising for December 31, 2011 is to raise $40,000 towards the overall goal of $175,000 from Individuals.

HiTOPS was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from FACT Bucks County to implement HIV prevention and risk reduction education programs with four high school populations. Funding will benefit an afterschool program for Latinas in Princeton, Trenton and West Windsor, and in school programs for Hopewell Valley Regional High school.