The USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic (YYC) has been awarded Gold Certification as an adolescent-centered health clinic from the Adolescent Health Initiative, becoming the first in Florida to receive this honor. Earning the gold certification reflects YYC鈥檚 commitment to providing the highest standards of care for adolescents and recognizes its dedication to continuous quality improvement through advancements in workflow, training and patient-centered care. Previously in 2022, the clinic successfully completed the Adolescent-Centered Environment Assessment Process (ACE-AP) and became the first clinic in Florida to receive certification at the silver level.
The ACE-AP, developed and facilitated by the Adolescent Health Initiative out of the University of Michigan Medicine program, is a comprehensive self-assessment and guided improvement process designed to minimize barriers and improve the delivery of care to adolescents. The ACE-AP is comprehensive, spanning 12 key areas of adolescent-centered care, including adolescent best practices and standards of care, confidentiality, behavioral health practices, adolescent involvement and empowerment and cultural responsiveness.
Opened in 2012, the YYC is a USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics clinic, staffed by health care providers from the Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Adolescent Medicine and Social Work. The mission of the YYC is to provide high-quality, innovative, compassionate and nonjudgmental health care services to all youth ages 13 to 24 in an environment tailored to their specific and unique needs in support of a vision of a community in which all youth can grow into healthy adults. Specific target populations include youth who lack the support of parents or caregivers and young racial, ethnic, sexual and gender minority patients who are at high risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections.
Through a partnership with the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County鈥檚 Adolescent & Teen Health Program, onsite peer navigators provide personalized support to patients in finding and connecting to additional health services and community resources. Most recently, the program has been able to expand and enhance this model, with funding from the CVS Health Foundation, by integrating an innovative online youth risk screening tool to better address the mental health risks and social needs of patients and help link them to customized resources. In addition, through funding from the Department of Health Hillsborough County, the Clinic will now be able to offer onsite mental health counseling services through employing a full-time licensed mental health professional.
鈥淐entral to the clinic鈥檚 model is the ability to offer a confidential and non-judgmental space where youth feel safe,鈥� said Dr. Lisa Sanders, executive director of the USF Health Ybor Youth Clinic and assistant professor at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. 鈥淚t is through earning their trust that we are able to increase their confidence in the health care system and connect them to services that can further address the social determinants of health influencing their health outcomes.鈥�
鈥淥ur partnership with the Ybor Youth Clinic has provided a unique opportunity for our peer navigators to deliver services in a youth-centered and innovative environment,鈥� said Marisa Mowat, executive director of Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County. 鈥淲e applaud the YYC for this well-earned certification and for serving as a valuable, trusted resource for adolescents in our community.鈥�
During adolescence, youth experience disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, mental health issues, substance use and unintentional injuries that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Consequently, the health care needs of adolescents are unique from other patient populations. Young people may avoid accessing the services they need for various reasons including concerns around confidentiality, fear of judgment and inconvenient hours and location (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2020).
Adolescent-centered environments effectively provide comprehensive services for adolescents, ensuring that they feel well cared for. An adolescent-centered environment is inclusive of, informed by and responsive to the needs and values of adolescents.
Connecting Teens to Health Services and Resources.
Through the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County鈥檚 Adolescent Health Initiative in partnership with USF Health and youth-serving organizations, like the Ybor Youth Clinic, Teen Connect Tampa Bay was created to improve teen access to health services and community resources. Teen Connect is an online resource directory and referral database for teens and young adults that provides personalized services based on their individual needs.
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