Street Smart Overview

Street Smart is an intensive HIV/AIDS and STD prevention program for youth whose behaviors place them at risk of becoming infected. Life circumstances define risk for some youth; being runaway or homeless, gay, or a sex offender increases the potential for risky behavior. The Street Smart program is designed for runaway and homeless youth, yet it can be easily adapted for youth in other settings. The Street Smart program targets youth, ages 11 to 18.

This is a multi-session, skills-building program to help youth practice safer sexual behaviors and reduce substance use. Sessions address improving youths’ social skills, assertiveness and coping through exercises on problem solving, identifying triggers, and reducing harmful behaviors. Agency staff also provide individual counseling and trips to community health providers.

The core elements of the Street Smart program include:

• Enhancing affective and cognitive awareness,expression, and control;
• Teaching HIV/AIDS risk hierarchy and its personal application;
• Identifying personal triggers, using peer support and small group skills-building sessions; and
• Building participant’s skills in problem solving, personal assertiveness, and HIV/AIDS harm reduction.

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019