Howard Brown Health Center launched Connect to Protect (CP2) a government-funded research project sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH), on Tues., Feb. 19.
Howard Brown is the second CP2 location in Chicago. The first, Stroger Hospital, focused its research on female youth of color. Howard Brown is focusing its efforts on young men who have sex with men (YMSM). The main focus of the research program is to study risk behaviors and environmental factors that put YMSM at risk for HIV to create better preventative programs, policies and laws in Chicago.
Community leaders, activists and health workers were invited to the first working group meeting at Kit Kat Lounge, 3700 N. Halsted. Rob Garofalo, M.D., and Akel Robinson of Children’s Memorial Hospital introduced the innovative program by giving an overview of current HIV data. Despite significant advances in HIV prevention, rates of new cases of HIV in young adults continue to rise, they said. It has has been found that of all newly reported infections in the U.S., nearly half occur in individuals under the age of 25.
Howard Brown will partner with other local agencies to meet the needs of the same youth participants who visit the similar sites with duplicate programs.
For more information, contact Akel Robinson at AkRobinson@childrensmemorial.org.