Having A Sexual Health Conversation With Youth In Care

Level:        Advanced Practice (Lineworkers, Supervisors, Managers)

Credits:        6

Intended Audience:  Designed for Child Welfare workers and anyone else that comes into regular contact with youth in care.

Description of Course: This workshop proposes that to effectively reduce current rates of unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and non-consensual or exploitative sexual circumstances among dependent youth in care requires thinking beyond traditional approaches. This innovative, harm-reduction model focuses on preparing behavioral health and child welfare workers to have a sexual “health” conversation with youth. This presentation will introduce sexual health conversation tools such as suspending judgments, sexual health principles and sexual health terminology.

Intended Objectives:

• Describe the contextual history and significance of the term sexual health
• Integrate San Diego County DCFS Foster Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health 
Policy with the Fundamental Elements of Sexual Health
• Review attendees own personal attitude and beliefs around human sexuality
• Demonstrate the ability to suspend judgment withinthe workplace when having a sexual health conversation
• Define and differentiate the six fundamentals of sexual health
• Define and operationalize 7 key sexual health vocabulary terms
• Describe how to find and utilize key sexual health resources

Topics Include:

• The World Health Organization’s Definition of Sexual Health
• Suspending Judgment
• Sexual Health Terminology
• San Diego County DCFS Policies on Sexual Health
• Reproductive and Sexual Health Resources