Every child deserves a positive start in life, and a team at (COPH), along with graduates from the school, want to point young people in right direction.
To help them early on, USF has teamed up with the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, the and the Adolescent Health Advisory Board to better address mental health challenges facing adolescents and young adults. Since 2023, this effort has helped to connect teens and young adults to personalized navigation services and resources.
Key to the program鈥檚 success are 鈥�,鈥欌�� people who embed themselves in the community and address issues one person at a time.
鈥淔or many at-risk youth, accessing mental health and social services can be overwhelming,鈥欌�� said Dr. Zachary Pruitt, COPH associate professor who specializes in health services research. 鈥淧eer navigators serve as a critical bridge to community services, connecting at-risk youth to the mental health and social services they need. By meeting adolescents where they are, they remove barriers prevalent in our health system."
Putting boots on the ground for personalized counseling can make a difference in a child鈥檚 future, especially given the complicated, often frustrating structure of the health care system, Pruitt said.
鈥淧eer navigators simplify this process, offering guidance, support and direct connections to essential resources that can change the trajectory of a young person鈥檚 life,鈥欌�� he said.
In 1991, the Florida Legislature created 32 state-wide Healthy Start Coalitions to improve the lives of pregnant women and their babies. Operating at the local level, each coalition provides community oversight and planning to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Services include:
- Home visiting programs to help mothers and their baby adjust to their new environment
- Health and nutrition information to support women before and after pregnancy
- Newborn care and instruction to keep babies healthy and safe
- Stress management and counseling services
- Breastfeeding education and support
- Programs to improve health and decrease harmful practices, such as smoking or substance misuse
- Helping find affordable insurance
- Parenting resources to track a child鈥檚 development and set them up for early learning success
Many at-risk young people face social, economic and health-related challenges. They have limited access to health care and health-related education, increasing their vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, anxiety, depression, trauma and even suicide.
Sophia DeGroat (left) and Tanner Cobb (Photo courtesy of Dr. Zac Pruitt)
At the Ybor Youth Clinic just east of downtown Tampa, peer navigators such as Sophia DeGroat meet with at-risk people between the ages of 13 and 24, making sure they don鈥檛 fall through the cracks.
鈥淭his project makes an immense impact on youth with mental health challenges because it helps them take that first step towards getting help, especially if there are financial barriers present,鈥欌�� said DeGroat, a BSPHstudent at the COPH. 鈥淲e have great community partners that offer mental health counseling at low to no cost and take most insurances, which removes the financial barrier for many youth and allows them to move forward with receiving the help they need.鈥欌��
Lifting a burden for these young people is immensely satisfying, said Tanner Cobb, another peer navigator.
鈥淭he most rewarding part of this job is hearing when a patient successfully connects with the services we link them to,鈥欌�� Cobb said. 鈥淥ur job is to improve the overall well-being of adolescents and young adults, and when t