ABOUT
What We Do
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1.
Innovation &
Excellence
Social
Justice
2.
Community Engagement
& Health Equity
3.
4.
Compassion
Core Values
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Who We Are​
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Darius Wilson (he/they)
Patient Advocate
December Douglas
(they/them)
Community Outreach Worker
Shereika Taylor (she/her)
Mobile Unit Specialist
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Isaiah Lawrence (he/him)
Community Outreach Worker
Misty Norman (she/her)
Community Outreach Worker
Safiya Yearwood
(she/her) Clinic Nurse
Alexcia Wattie (she/her) Minority AIDs Initiative
Program Coordinator
Lonnie Bishop (he/him)
HIV Testing & Outreach Coordinator
Jasmine Pope (she/her) Program Director
Interested in an internship at STAR TRACK? Email us at startrack@som.umaryland.edu
Why We Do
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Mission
The Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Health Program’s mission is to provide health services, expertise and leadership throughout the State of Maryland by:
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Providing comprehensive, interdisciplinary, individualized and confidential health
HIV/AIDS;care to infants, children, youth, and young adults living with or at risk of acquiring
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Providing youth centered reproductive health care, health education, prevention, and early identification services to infants, children, youth, and young adults living with or at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS;
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Offering general health care, including school and sports physicals, and contraception and family planning resources to adolescents and young adults;
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Tailoring our programs to meet our clients’ needs and offering specialized advocacy, care and outreach to LGBTQ youth;
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Conducting research to contribute to the knowledge leading to improvement of health, risk reduction and reduction of HIV transmission;
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Training and educating professionals from a variety of disciplines regarding gender and sexuality, youth care and engagement, structural oppression, and HIV prevention
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Shaping and influencing local, state and national public policy as it impacts infants, children, youth and young adults living with or at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS; and
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Facilitating and participating in collaboration among the many organizations in Maryland that improves outcomes for youth in systems such as juvenile justice, housing, reproductive justice, and education.
Vision
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To be a nationally recognized Center of Excellence, providing innovation and state of the art pediatric and adolescent prevention and care
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To increase access to quality, inclusive and comprehensive healthcare that’s rooted in, responsive to, and in collaboration with the community
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To be leaders in examining structural oppression and how it relates to all aspects of healthcare.
Advocacy
STAR TRACK focuses on connecting with and providing excellent care for LGBTQ+, Black women, commercial sex workers, and unstably housed youth. These community groups are unjustly disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic and face increased barriers to care.
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We recognize that the HIV epidemic will not be solved/addressed by the healthcare system alone, and therefore it is essential to participate in cross-sector advocacy and collaboration.
1.
SEX POSITIVITY
Prioritzing and centering choice, consent, pleasure, desire, decision making, sexual health, and healthy relationships.
Frameworks
2.
HARM REDUCTION
Centering strategies and goals that youth seek out without pushing for behavior change before youth are willing and prepared to take next steps.
3.
STRENGTHS BASED
Viewing young people as resilient, creative, and resourceful with tangible strengths, motivation, and self-determination.
4.
COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Listening to, learning from, and valuing community needs, input, and direction.
5.
YOUTH FOCUSED
Following youth needs and providing access to information and resources requested.
6.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
with an emphasis on RACIAL JUSTICE
Understanding that HIV is a racial justice issue, proven through the social determinants of health. We address, from a historical point of view, the complex and unique needs of low-income POC.
