Youth and AIDS Projects

The goal of the University of Minnesota Youth and AIDS Projects (YAP) is to help high risk youth prevent HIV and to care for young people and families living with HIV infection.

YAP's Organizational History and Philosophy

The University of Minnesota Youth and AIDS Projects (YAP) was founded in 1989, with a mission to prevent transmission of HIV to and from high-risk youth and to provide care to youth and families living with HIV infection. The governing philosophy is that adolescents can and do make responsible health-related decisions, given appropriate resources and support. YAP programs are grounded in the belief that HIV-related services for youth must be developmentally appropriate, culturally competent, coordinated, and family-centered in order to be effective.

YAP adheres to a "one-stop shopping" model of care, offering the most commonly-needed services at a single agency, with convenient appointments and minimal waiting times. All grant-supported services are free to clients who can easily meet various needs or transition between the different levels of care in a familiar environment, with a continuity of caregivers. The centralization of services also enables appointments to be scheduled at families' convenience and reduces logistical and administrative barriers to care.

YAP is administratively housed in the Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. The division was established in 1978 for the purposes of service, teaching, and research on behalf of adolescents. As both a University- and community-based organization, YAP intertwines service provision, research, and teaching in all aspects of programming.

YAP programs are operated by 12 salaried staff (including a research assistant and 2 outreach workers who are less than 25 years of age), 6 peer educators, and variable numbers of youth and adult volunteers. YAP's office in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis is well-marked by outdoor signage, wheelchair accessible, and near downtown bus routes. Multilingual translation services are readily available through the University of Minnesota.

YAP Programs and Facilities

With federal, state, and county, grant support, YAP currently sponsors three main types of programs pertaining to HIV/AIDS prevention, HIV antibody counseling and testing, and services for infected youth and their families.

Prevention

Two HIV prevention programs currently serve young men who have sex with men (YMSM).

One program (currently sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health) emphasizes service, providing individual risk-assessment and risk-reduction counseling, peer education, referrals, to medical and psychosoical services, and longitudinal follow-up to monitor and reinforce progress. This program works with YMSM ages 13 through 21 year of age. In order to increase the capacity of other agencies, this program also provides ongoing professional traing and consultation on HIV/AIDS prevention strategeas for YMSM.

A second program is a multi-site research initiative (sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to develop and test new, community level preventive interventions. This project works with YMSM 15-25 year olds.

Testing

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide HIV testing.

HIV Care

HIV-related care is available to all young men and women with HIV infection in Minnesota and to their families. Clients also may include the HIV-seropositve and undetermind-status infants and children of HIV-seropositive adolescents. HIV+ adolescents and their families are offered a comprehensive array of services including case management, prevention services, HIV antibody counseling and testing, comprehensive medical care, referral to subspecialty services, emergency funds, condoms, help with entitlement programs, social support, and external referrals for clinical trials, food, shelter, clothing, educational and vocational needs. With the exception of medical care at the Fairview-Universtiy Hospital and outpatient clinics, all other services are available at YAP offices.

Gary Remafedi, MD, MPH, Executive Director
Patricia Tschida, Research Fellow
Amy Moser, MA, Case Manager/Coordinator - School & Community Outreach
Cynthia Orstad, Executive Secretary
Kianna Ramos, Peer Education Coordinator
Val Smith, Case Manager/ HIV Prevention Program
Jonna Shelomith, HIV Testing/Outreach Worker
Timothy Connolly, Outreach Worker
William Grier, Outreach Worker
Sara Holzbauer, Outreach Worker/HIV Testing
Joey Remer., Outreach Worker
Adrienne Richardson, Outreach Worker
Lam Truong, Outreach Worker

University of Minnesota Youth and AIDS Projects (YAP)
Annex, Loring Park Office Building
428 Oak Grove St.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 627-6820
Toll Free: (800) 688-5252, ext. 7-4852
Fax: (612) 627-6819
E-mail: yap@umn.edu

• Minnesota Youth and AIDS Projects