Hitops Inc.

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2013

Signed

Apr 1, 2014

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$983,865

Major Activities

Activity 2

Health ServicesReduce Risk Behaviors:Youth access healthcare when in need- 540 clients at HiTOPS Health Center and satellite clinics in Trenton- 57% are 19 years and up, 23% 17 and 18 years; 20% 16 and younger- 77% female, 23% male- Served 14 NJ counties"If you had unprotected sex, get tested," commented one student on the HIV/AIDS Prevention class evaluation. In addition to learning how to prevent or reduce risks of heath issues, program participants learn that it is important to seek healthcare if they have engaged in behaviors that put them at risk. In the same HIV/AIDS Prevention class, 92% of participants responded YES when asked, "If you engaged in a risk behavior, are you now more likely to get tested for HIV?". *Teen Council HIV/AIDS workshop evaluationsBest Practice: Reduce BarriersWhen a young person makes an appointment with a clinician, they are taking responsibility for their own health. Standard best practices for providing adolescent healthcare focus on reducing youth-identified barriers that may stop a teen or young adult from seeking clinical care. HiTOPS adheres to these practices by providing confidential and affordable clinical services, non-judgmental education and consultations, all within a convenient location.While the Affordable Care Act increases access to health insurance for emerging young adults, many young people do not want their healthcare transactions reported on their parents' insurance claims. HiTOPS accepts insurance and sliding scale payments for services, and for those who cannot afford to pay or who chose to not use insurance, HiTOPS subsidizes charges with donations and grants. Mobile Clinical SitesHiTOPS increased services to high risk youth in Trenton using expanded outreach efforts and new satellite clinics on community college campuses and community based organizations. As a result there was a 250% increase in clients whose lives are affected by poverty, mental health disorders, substance abuse, sexual trauma or assault, and unstable family systems. Grant support from Fred C. Rummel Foundation and Church & Dwight Employee Giving increased access to clinical care for these vulnerable members of our community.HIV Testing and Risk ReductionHiTOPS is a partner and clinical site with the Mercer County HIV Collaborative. On behalf of the State of New Jersey, the collaborative coordinates between testing and treatment sites to ensure that individuals who test positive for HIV get into treatment within 24 hours after a positive result. HiTOPS administers free Rapid HIV testing for clients. These services were expanded to the entire community regardless of age, on National HIV Testing Day (6.24.2013). The HIV Collaborative aligns with research that claims that not using condoms during sex is the single greatest risk factor for exposure to HIV for all age groups and ethnicities. To reduce the risk of HIV infection, HiTOPS offers free condoms - a service made possible by Church & Dwight and Trojan.More Than Over-the-Counter ServiceLegislation was passed last year which made emergency contraception available over-the-counter to all ages. Emergency contraception is an FDA-approved form of contraception that prevents pregnancies after unprotected sex, birth control failure or sexual assault. However emergency contraception alone does not address the circumstances under which the unprotected sex took place, does not prevent future pregnancies, nor does it protect against or screen for sexually transmitted infections. Clients who seek emergency contraception at HiTOPS benefit from counseling, HIV and STD testing, birth control options, and if necessary, support for sexual assault.

Activity 3

SupportPositive Youth Development:Youth have supportive adult-child connections- 44 programs targeted lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender (LGBT) youth who are at-risk for bullying, isolation, HIV and STIs. Appreciating Differences is a program designed by HiTOPS to build supportive networks and reduce the incidences of violence and bullying towards LGBT youth. With support from the Albin Family Foundation, HiTOPS was able to achieve good results. Of the 243 respondents, 96% said, "As a result of this class, I am more likely to . . . be respectful to people who are different from me," and "speak up when I hear or see mean behavior." More than ever before, young people are challenging the boundaries of traditional gender expression, and going public at younger ages. And they are doing so with the guidance of a growing faction of medical experts, including the American Psychiatric Association, who recently removed "gender identity disorder" from its list of mental health ailments (just as homosexuality was removed as a mental illness nearly four decades ago). Today, the gender spectrum includes those who are transgender, gender variant, or gender nonconforming. Increasingly, schools and agencies are having to figure out how to accommodate and create safer environments for a spectrum of gender expressions. HiTOPS conducted 38 trainings on gender identity and transgender issues. As a result, more than 90% of the participants correctly answered "true" to the following: Biological sex is determined by hormones, chromosomes and genitalia; Gender identity is how you understand yourself as male or female; Sexual Orientation is a person's sense of who he or she feels romantically attracted to.In addition, the workshop provided support for staff, faculty and students to answer important, basic questions, such as: Which bathroom should be used? Where is it best to change for gym class? How do you know what pronoun to use? Parents also benefit from counseling on how to support their children's needs in their homes.Positive Youth Development:Peer leadershipHiTOPS' Teen Council- 20 high school peer educators + 275 hours of training = 36 prevention/risk-reduction workshops for 1,287 youth- 67% of Teen Council's programs benefitted incarcerated and high risk youth Teen Council is a comprehensive sexuality education program that uses a peer education model for presenting medically accurate information to other teens. Through a competitive process, 20 high school seniors are selected to participate in a year-long training program in which they learn leadership and facilitation skills, and are educated on sexual health topics. During the year, Teen Council presents to students, incarcerated youth and community groups.New Jersey Department of Health allocates grant funding for HiTOPS to implement peer-to-peer education on New Jersey Core Curriculum topics and public health concerns.Teen PEP (Teen Prevention Education Program) is an evidence- and school-based program that utilizes peer-to-peer education to increase responsible decision-making among students around issues of sexual health. During a year-long leadership training program, the peer educators outreach to their peers in schools throughout New Jersey to help them to reduce risk factors for sexually transmitted infections, HIV and unintended pregnancy, while simultaneously enhancing protective factors against these potentially tragic outcomes. The program was developed in 1995 through a collaboration of HiTOPS, The Center for Supportive Schools and the New Jersey Department of Health.Studies conducted by Rutgers University (2000-2003) and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2009) provide strong evidence that Teen PEP significantly improves the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors or participating students. Program participants are more likely than non-participants who: wait longer to have sex; stop having sex; reduce the number of sex partners, and use birth control.The fed

Filer

EIN

22-3486441