SJ Orgs: HiTOPS

HiTOPS (Health-Interested Teens' Own Program on Sexuality) promotes adolescent health and well-being by helping teens to understand their sexuality, avoid unwanted pregnancies, prevent sexually transmitted disease and help them make responsible decisions regarding sexual health. HiTOPS does not discriminate by sexual preference and provides youth with strategies to make responsible decisions.

HiTOPS started in 1987 as part of the Familyborn Birth Center. They have since grown to combine health services and educational outreach. HiTOPS hopes to help create a society where teenagers are valued and respected. The organization encompasses a variety of divisions to educate and support area teens.

HiTOPS offers an affordable health clinic to provide high-quality, low-cost reproductive and basic heath care for adolescents and young adults. The clinic located in downtown Princeton, offers HIV and STD testing, physicals, gynecological exams and screenings for cancer.

HiTOPS educational programs division helps empower youth with the knowledge to understand their sexuality, learn skills to avoid unwanted pregnancy and STDs, and to make responsible decisions. The specially designed workshops offer group discussions, role-play and skits to improve communication. The workshops are available to teens, parents, schools, students, businesses, community agencies and organizations.

HiTOPS also has programs that go beyond education by offering support, compassion and healing. The ‘First and Third’ group is an educational and social support group for gay, lesbian and bisexual teens. The ‘PFLAG’ group is a support group for family members and friends of someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual. The ‘SASS’ group is a sexual assault and survivor support group for young women.

HiTOPS also offers an extremely effective peer education program. Because teens are very influential with one another, ‘teens teaching teens’ is an effective way for youth to develop healthy sexual behavior. Teens have credibility from experiencing the same feelings and thoughts and are less intimidating to share feelings with. The HiTOPS peer educators are highly trained and present interactive workshops and support groups for youth. The peer educators program currently have three programs including the Teen Council, Target Team and Trenton P.E.E.R.S.

The Teen Council is a group of 16- to 18-year-old high school students who completed more than 140 hours of training to become effective peer educators in the community. Students are trained in human sexuality, presentation skills and communication/interpersonal techniques.

The Trenton P.E.E.R.S. (Performing, Educating, and Entertaining about Responsible Sexuality) is a group of young men from Trenton trained to provide sexual education to other young men in the Trenton area. The program helps members to make healthy and responsible life decisions.

The Target Team is a group of students from Trenton who provide sexual education to four schools in the Trenton area. The teens are specially trained to target teen pregnancy prevention and to decrease the risk of mental retardation and disabilities in children caused by unplanned adolescent pregnancies.

If you are interested in more information on the HiTOPS organization, are interested in one of their services, or want to volunteer, please contact (609) 683-5155 or visit < HREF=http=://www.hitops.org.

For more on local Organizations, visit our South Jersey Organizations page.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Melissa Samuelson