Project Description:
The purpose of this proposal is to secure funds to support the development and implementation of a sexual health component within the Bridges to Career program during the summers of 2015 - 2020. The addition of this component is innovative in that it identifies program gaps and the additional program components will address needs of the target population. The short term outputs will include: 1) program lesson plans that have been carried out during past summers and scaled with other programs, 2) a trained and competent implementation team, 3) trained and competent support network within B2C, and 4) proposals to expand the program.
5) During the Spring and Summer of 2020 we are identifying ways to facilitate the program online due to COVID19 challenges.
Description of the Project:
Background: During the summer of 2015, the Texas A&M University Health Promotion office and Bridges to Career personnel partnered to integrate sexual health lessons into the program. Informal feedback from both partners indicated this was a needed and desired improvement and should be offered in subsequent summers. The Bridges to Career participants were engaged and responsive the lessons being taught; therefore, action was sought to formalize the addition of the sexual health program component for
the summer of 2016. Health Education faculty were consulted on what would be required to develop a program that would incorporate sexual health issues and meet the needs of the Bridges to Career program. The team developed a work plan to implement a needs assessment phase which included a review of existing sexual health programs and a structured review of existing literature related to sexual health programs for individuals with disabilities. The summer of 2018 jscal year focused on lesson and booster session rejnement for implementation. During the summer of 2019, we will replicate the lessons with the trained and competent implementation team. Additionally, we will focus on training needs for new facilitators of the healthy relationship curriculum. Ensuring the program is sustainable continues to be a focus. In 2019, we added additional sessions on internet safety and relationships. In 2020, all facilitators are working on translating the program from a face to face experience to online due to COVID19 challenges.
Needs Assessment Findings:
The results from the curriculum analysis and the literature review were as the team expected, in order to meet the needs of Bridges to Career additional program planning would need to take place. Sexual health programs for individuals with disabilities were explored. When a curricula was identijed, the website and curricula description was assessed. If the team believed it was worthwhile, Christine (Gastmeyer) Davis, contacted the publisher to obtain a desk copy for more extensive review. The overall jnding from the curricula reviewed was the lessons were developed for a more child-like audience compared to the lessons Bridges to Career participants received and responded well to during the past summer. The literature review further supported that among the programs represented in academic literature, there are some, albeit limited, evidence-based developed programs. However, most of these focus solely on the sexual health content. It is the desire of the team to include not only the idea of healthy relationships for participants, which is what is found in traditional curricula, but also understanding the concept of healthy relationships in the workplace. Therefore, the literature review conjrmed additional development is needed to arrive at the desired program. Work over the last year included the exploration of any new literature and curricula, but ultimately focused on conjrming the lessons were developed utilizing theoretical constructions, and were implementation ready. Review and updates were conducted utilizing feedback from stakeholders from the sessions previously implemented. A training plan was developed to meet the needs of the health education facilitators as well as the B2C staff.
During the 2018 needs assessment phase, it was identijed that the participants would benejt from a lesson regarding online relationships. There was also a focus on understanding the feasibility of booster sessions to be conducted during the Fall. Both the online relationships module and booster sessions were carried out and found to be meaningful for participants. Minor modijcations will be made to meet participants needs during the summer and fall of 2019. Significant modifications have been made to the program in order to facilitate the program online during the Summer of 2020. Participants needs were taken into consideration with each modification made.
Innovativeness:
This program is innovative in that it identijes program gaps that currently exist and the additional program components will address needs of the target population. The sexual health programs developed for individuals with disabilities are scant, especially for a young adult population, and those that incorporate the concept of healthy relationships in the career setting are narrowed even more. In 2020, the team made a major pivot in order to accommodate for restrictions due to the COVID19 pandemic.
Outputs: The funds in this proposal will support the efforts of the program planning team. The short term outputs will include the following: 1) program lesson plans that can be carried out this summer and scaled with other programs, 2) trained and competent implementation team, 3) trained and comment support network within B2C, and 4 proposals to expand the program.
Name of Co-PIs:
Kelly L. Wilson, PhD, MCHES Elisa Beth McNeill, PhD, CHES
Partners Involved in the Project:
Health and Kinesiology Faculty Kelly L. Wilson, PhD, MCHES Elisa Beth McNeill, PhD, CHES
Center on Disability and Development: Meagan Orsag, PhD PATHS Program: Tracy Glass
Health Education Doctoral Students: Christi Hays, MEd, CHES, Caitlin Ballard Holden, MS, CHES, & Jordan Nelon, MPH, Samantha Ortega, MEd, Fahad Ibrahim Bin Radhyan, MS
During the 2017-2018 funding cycle, CDD (M. Orsag and D. Zhang), Bridge to Career (Shaunta Singer & Tracy Glass), and the Department of Health and Kinesiology (K. Wilson and E.B. McNeill) partnered to ensure implementation of a healthy relationships course within the Bridge to Career program. The healthy relationships course was developed to consist of 4 modules and was implemented in July 2016. This year focused on updates from that summer and the development of a training program for bridge to Career staff and mentors. The topics included: healthy relationships, personal safety, accessing campus resources, anatomy and physiology, sexually transmitted infections, methods of contraception, sexual behaviors, and pregnancy. Booster sessions were revised and new boosters sessions were developed.
Bridge to Career participants were receptive and responsive to the lessons implemented and engaged in the material presented during 2016-2017. As the course is formalized and expanded, evaluation plans need to be developed and formalized.
During the 2018-2019 funding cycle, CDD (M. Orsag and D. Zhang), Bridge to Career (Shaunta Singer & Tracy Glass), and the Department of Health and Kinesiology (K. Wilson and E.B. McNeill) partnered to ensure implementation of a healthy relationships course within the Bridge to Career program. The healthy relationships course was developed to consist of 4 modules and was implemented in July 2018. This year focused on updates from previous implementation and the development of a new module for online relationships. Development of a training program for Healthy Relationships facilitators took place, and more awareness about the Healthy Relationship among Bridge to Career staff and mentors took place.
The topics included: healthy relationships, personal safety, online safety, accessing campus resources, anatomy and physiology, sexually transmitted infections, methods of contraception, sexual behaviors, and pregnancy. Booster sessions were revised and new boosters sessions were developed. Bridge to Career participants were receptive and responsive to the lessons implemented and engaged in the material presented during 2018-2019. In 2019-2020, the booster sessions continued as planned. During the Spring of 2020, the Bridge to Career and Healthy Relationship teams communicated to adjust the program to a Zoom, but synchronous program. As the course is formalized and expanded, evaluation plans need to be developed and formalized.
*******NOT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPSbut with HLTH******************
During the Summer of 2019, Bridge to Career partnered with the Division of Health to identify an instructor to facilitate physical activity with participants. A trained (personal trainer) facilitator developed activity plans that would meet participants needs. Participants engaged regularly throughout the summer to address their physical health needs through facilitated exercises and plans.
PhD students involved: Mandy Spadine, MPH, CPH, CHES
