Please join John Burton Advocates for Youth for a webinar sharing findings and recommendations related to the reproductive and sexual health of foster youth residing in Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs), a congregate care placement established in 2016. Over the course of a 15-month learning community led by JBAY as part of the Los Angeles Reproductive Health Equity Project, 13 STRTPs collectively serving 539 youth across seven counties worked to improve their capacity to comply with legal requirements set forth in the California Foster Youth Sexual Health Education Act (SB 89, 2017), Community Care Licensing Standards, and best practice.

The webinar will confront the challenges of upholding some reproductive and sexual health rights of foster youth in a therapeutic setting designed to provide a high level of supervision and ensure safety: How can we allow youth to keep their own birth control when other medication must be locked up? How can we maintain continuity of care when a youth enters and exits the STRTP? What resources can staff use to help teach youth about puberty, sex, and healthy relationships? What LGBTQI friendly services are available in our community? Participating STRTPs will share the policy and practice changes they established during the learning community to address these challenges and best serve the young people in their care. Recommendations for STRTPs, counties, and the state will be offered.