www.elriorhap.carrd.co
THE RHAP-PORT: 2024 REPORT
WHO ARE WE ?
Formed in 2017, El Rio’s Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) is a group of young people here to spread access and awareness of sexual health education, resources, and services for young people. We aim to change how our generation understands and navigates sexuality and healthcare.
DID YOU KNOW?
We conducted focus groups with over 100 teens living in Tucson who were either homeless, living in foster care, involved in sex trafficking, or previously incarcerated so they could help us design the perfect teen clinic
RHAP HAS SEEN ~20,000 TEEN PATIENTS SINCE OUR VERY FIRST TEEN CLINIC IN 2018
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HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS NAVIGATING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IS EMPOWERMENT
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS NAVIGATING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IS EMPOWERMENT
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION
INFORMED DECISION MAKING
YOUNG ACTIVISTS AND LEADERS EDUCATION IS EMPOWERMENT
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE YOUTH-LED MOVEMENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH At tabling events, we share information
RHAP
Since RHAP began in 2017, we have hosted over 50 PPPs serving more than 1000 youth at various youth-serving organizations In 2023 alone, RHAP has hosted 20 PPPs with more than 200 youth participants and tabled at 17 events at the following locations: Tucson High School Volunteer Fair
Youth On Their Own
House of Neighborly Service: Madres y Niñas
about the resources RHAP provides + how to get them. Our Pizza Protection Parties
Open Air Mercado
(PPPs) cover comprehensive sexual education topics including birth control and sexually transmitted infections, health relationships and consent, online safety,
Goodwill METRO Youth Program’s Second Tuesdays
and gender identity and sexual orientation--over pizza, snacks, and free condoms!
The University of Arizona - Women and Gender Resources Center
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RHAP
RHAP PARTNERS WITH “GO WITH THE FLOW” TO PROVIDE FREE MENSTRUAL SUPPLIES TO YOUTH IN TUCSON.
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GO WITH THE FLOW
Our packages include: • Menstrual Pads • Tampons • Menstrual cups • Period Underwear • Pregnancy Tests • Menstrual Discs
Do you know a teen who needs free menstrual products? Go to https://elriorhap.carrd.co/ and under “Our Services” select RHAP x Go With the Flow
In 2021, the RHAP team designed and implemented a period product mailing service for young people in Tucson and surrounding cities. We partnered with a local nonprofit organization, Go With The Flow, to provide access to free menstrual supplies through a simple online order form. Since 2021, RHAP has sent out 1,951 orders with up to two months worth of period products in each package. This project has reached some of the highest need areas in Tucson. This quarter OctoberDecember 15, 2023, RHAP sent out 139 orders.
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GO WITH THE FLOW
Table 1 shows the period mailing orders broken down by zip code - all within Tucson. The first column of Table 1 are the top six zip codes, by number of orders received. These zip codes represent about 50% of our orders to date. The middle column depicts the median household income level for each zip code and the bottom row shows Tucson’s median household income. Four of the six zip codes have median household incomes that are lower than the median household income for Tucson, $53,049. Moreover, all of the zip codes presented have a median household income that’s far below the national median income of $74,580. NE XT PAGE
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FREE GENDER AFFIRMING UNDERGARMENTS FOR ARIZONA’S TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING YOUTH UP TO AGE 24
THE AFFIRMING WARDROBE
We have given out: • 221 Binders • 36 Boxers/Underwear • 52 Packers • 24 Bra’s • 3 Prosthetics
RHAP gave out 70 pieces of affirming clothing during the COVID-19 Pandemic. One of our peer leaders then started the Boobs and Binders program to provide affirming clothing. In 2023, RHAP partnered with ValidUSA to form The Affirming Wardrobe, a partnership with El Rio and Lutheran Campus Ministry. The Affirming Wardrobe's mission is to provide an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals seeking assistance with their wardrobe needs. They offer a wide range of services, all provided free of charge. Whether one needs chest binders, bras, underwear, or packers, or simply looking for a trans peer to offer guidance and support, the Affirming Wardrobe is here!
All of our Teen Clinic El Rio locations have buckets! El Rio providers will have access to them so youth won’t have to schedule a follow up teen clinic appointment when they are visiting their provider for a general appointment. NE XT PAGE
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LET’S TALK
TELEHEALTH RHAP is thrilled to be collaborating with Tucson Unified School District, ICF International, and CDC’s Division of Adolescent & School Health (DASH). We have spent the last several months working in partnership to implement a Telehealth program at Catalina High School using an on-site kiosk. This has allowed them to access reproductive health services, general health education and prevention, referrals for mental health, and more. The purpose of these kiosks is to make healthcare for students more convenient and accessible. Easy access to healthcare helps students stay healthy and focus on learning. Over the remainder of the school year, we will collect data (student surveys, staff interviews) to learn more about how effective in-school kiosks are, and how we can improve them in the future!
DID YOU KNOW? RHAP began experimenting with Telehealth in 2018. We knew transportation was one of the main barriers teens faced to accessing services, so we wanted to bring healthcare to them by implementing Telehealth in community locations like Youth On Their Own and Goodwill Metro. Once the pandemic hit in 2020, El Rio was able to use the Telehealth model that we already had in place and smoothly transition to virtual healthcare. Currently, we have four additional Telehealth kiosks in the community located at Metro Goodwill, Youth On Their Own, Our Family Services, and Pima Vocational High School. This allows clients from these organizations to access services with ease!
RHAP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AN OCTOBER WEEKEND AN OCTOBER WEEKEND AN OCTOBER WEEKEND
RHAP HELD ITS FOURTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY WHERE WE DEDICATED OUR TIME TO: Learning what it takes to be a peer leader in our communities Educating ourselves about the intersection between reproductive health and social justice Understanding basic physiology and anatomy related to sexual/reproductive health
RHAP’s curriculum team is currently working on designing a Peer Leadership Academy for young people in the community to learn about Sexual and Reproductive Health!
Going over RHAP essentials such as clinic flow, Pizza Protection Parties, Telehealth, committees, social media maintenance, and more Clarifying group mission & values
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MALE IDENTIFYING CLINIC RHAP created a Male Clinic for anyone who identifies as male and is run by an all-male staff. Advanced Practice Provider Justin Shear leads our Male Clinic on Tuesdays from 1 PM - 4 PM at the El Rio Abrams Clinic.
RHAP Peer Leaders for Male Clinic (Left to Right) Daniel, Lazlo, and Alex
Services include: How can I schedule an appointment?
Text our medical assistant starting at 11:00 AM on Tuesdays to reserve a sameday appointment! (520)310-7832
STI testing and treatment PrEP / PEP Condoms All birth control options Plan B Cervical Cancer screenings Referrals for MAT Referrals for mental health Referrals for hormone therapy Chest Binders NE XT PAGE
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MEET OUR PROVIDERS! PART ONE What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Teen clinic creates a space for young people in Tucson to be heard and to be valued for their experiences as teens. When teens come see us at teen clinic, they can show up as they are and be respected and honored.
What's one thing you admire about young people?
Joy Baynes, FNP Capricorn
Young people are incredibly candid and real. They tell you how it is. They have answers and solutions to many problems. Teens can teach adults soo much (we just have to move aside and listen).
What's a fun fact about you?
I am Korean and love my culture! I enjoy celebrating Korean holidays with my kids and learning how to cook Korean food from my mom (who lives here in Tucson).
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? My favorite thing about teen clinic is working with teenagers who excited to learn about reproductive and sexual health.
What's one thing you admire about young people? I admire teens for their curiosity.
What's a fun fact about you? Fun fact – I’m from Brooklyn.
Jenny Ajl, FNP Aquarius
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? My favorite thing about teen clinic is the opportunity to partner with young people to address their sexual and reproductive health needs. I also love learning from young people - I’m learning all the time!
What's one thing you admire about young people?
Audrey Lyland, FNP Scorpio
One thing I admire about young people is their forward thinking. I'm always impressed by the young people I chat with each week!
What's a fun fact about you? One fun fact about me is that I'm a Tucson native. I went to UHS then UA, was away for 10 years, and am now happy to be back in the beautiful Sonoran desert!
MEET OUR PROVIDERS! PART TWO What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? I love working with teens and love the opportunity to normalize discussions about reproductive health. Its great to promote wellness for young individuals and provide opportunities for teens to take charge of their own reproductive health.
What's one thing you admire about young people? I love that so many young people are inspired about their futures and possibilities. Many of them want to make an impact on the world and have plans to make a difference.
Pamela Howe, FNP
What's a fun fact about you?
Capricorn
I have a Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology and I love animals and nature. I have a newfound passion for travel and I am always planning my next trip/adventure!
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? The great energy brings, the peer educators especially in their energy supporting teens to take charge of their sexual and reproductive health.
What's one thing you admire about young people? Their sense of humor and fun.
What's a fun fact about you? I love to dance!
Colette Oesterle, MD Virgo
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? How involved the RHAP peers are in clinic!
What's one thing you admire about young people? I admire how open and accepting they are.
Lizette Garcia, PA-C Cancer
What's a fun fact about you? One of my hobbies is indoor rock climbing.
MEET OUR PROVIDERS! PART THREE What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Reproductive health is FUN and IMPORTANT!
What's one thing you admire about young people? Their creativity and hope in making change in the world.
What's a fun fact about you?
Kaitlin Callaghan, FNP, CNM
I have a weird eyebrow that runs in my family.
Gemini
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Helping my patients feel empowered to take care of their health.
What's one thing you admire about young people? Their ability to see things honestly and to question how our world works.
What's a fun fact about you? I used to play bass guitar in a punk rock band!
Justin Shear, APP Taurus
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Working with powerful, thoughtful teens who care about themselves and their community.
What's one thing you admire about young people? Bravery in figuring out what is important to them.
What's a fun fact about you?
Aliza Kreisman, FNP Virgo
I get all around Tucson on my bike.
MEET OUR PROVIDERS! PART FOUR What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Teen clinic is my favorite part of my job. I love honoring the sexual and reproductive wishes of young people and hearing their wisdom. It makes me feel so fulfilled and happy when my teen patients and I get to learn from each other. What's one thing you admire about young people? My teen patients are so intuitive and smart. They're not afraid to ask hard questions and to push me in my own clinical knowledge and skills. Interacting with my teen patients and Casey Harrington, FNP seeing how empowered they are makes me feel really hopeful for Aries the future.
What's a fun fact about you?
I love making pottery and am obsessed with cats.
What's your favorite thing about teen clinic? Providing education!
What's one thing you admire about young people? Their spirit.
What's a fun fact about you? I lived in west Africa for several years
Emma Tyano, FNP-C, ENP-C Taurus
To learn more about the teen clinic schedule:
Visit our website elriorhap.cardd.co.
Follow us on Instagram @elriorhap
HOW TO: Make a Teen Clinic Appointment
Don’t need an appointment right away? Call the AZ Shine line to schedule an
appointment in advance.
520-297-4463
Need a same-day appointment? Check out our Instagram (@elriorhap) for a weekly schedule and text our teen clinic medical assistant directly starting two hours before clinic start time.
520-310-7832 Male Clinic Text our medical assistant starting at 11:00 AM on Tuesdays to reserve a same-day appointment!
(520) 310-7832
LET’S TALK: A COURSE FOR KIDS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS TO LEARN ABOUT BEING HEALTHY RHAP and Health Builders collaborated to create a workshop series called “Let’sTalk”. These workshops are designed for families and their youth ages 9-12 to learn more about sexuality topics and build skills to support youth in making informed decisions. Peer leaders with El Rio Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) will lead youth through interactive workshops about sexuality topics including puberty, identity, healthy relationships and personal safety, pregnancy, and reproductive anatomy. Parents will receive guidance from adult educators about how to discuss sexuality topics with their young people and provide support.
1st session - Sexuality and Values 2nd session - Puberty and Adolescent Development 3rd session - Identity 4th Session - Healthy Relationships & Personal Safety 5th Session - Anatomy & Physiology & Pregnancy/Reproduction
AMAZE (www.amaze.org) is a free resource that provides comprehensive sexuality education to youth, parents, educators, and healthcare providers through online animated videos for young people and targeted resources for adults. AMAZE can be used as a learning tool by clinicians to augment the teaching they provide to their patients. El Rio RHAP is teaming up with AMAZE to allow El Rio providers to send AMAZE videos through EPIC that patients can access through their MyChart. Be sure to also look out for AMAZE comics on the waiting room screens!
RHAP created an AMAZE playlist for anyone to view. To find it, visit the following link: https://elriorhap.carrd. co#services
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Trauma-Informed
Pelvic Care WHAT IS IT? Trauma-informed care is treating patients in a way that understands a patient's past trauma — from sexual assault or domestic violence to accidents and previous clinical experiences.. Because we never know a patient’s history with trauma, trauma-informed care should be the standard for how we treat all patients. We aim for all our patients to feel safe and validated during a pelvic exam.
PROVIDER TRAININGS
El Rio Family Medicine, Pediatrics, and Nurse Practitioner residents are given an all-day training about how to perform trauma-informed pelvic care by our FNP Joy Baynes! The education was put together by our team, and is taught several times a year.
DID YOU KNOW? That RHAP has been working with all departments across EL Rio (including Dental, Laboratory, Radiology, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Midwives, SIA, etc.) to implement Trauma Informed Practices specific to each department. Stay tuned for upcoming trainings in 2024!
SELF SWABBING. Have you ever noticed that El Rio laboratories allow our patients to self-swab for Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) screenings? Selfswabbing allows for patients to forego invasive pelvic exams. In 2021, RHAP worked closely with the laboratory to Implement this change! RHAP proposed to leadership to allow our laboratories to give patients the option to self-swab. RHAP champions giving our teen patients the power to take control of their health.
RHAP
RHAP partnered with CREAM to create concertstyle T-shirts! Sizes S-XXL will soon be available to the public for purchase. Keep an eye on our website, elriorhap.carrd.co, to receive a shirt after a donation of $35.
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RHAP MEMBERS
MEET THE TEAM El Rio RHAP is composed of young leaders and activists who come together guided by the principles of reproductive justice and to work to ensure that all people have access to the reproductive health care they need, over their lifetime. Read through the following pages to learn more about some of the young people who are leading this reproductive health movement.
KAREN TORRES, 24 Saggitarius Member for 6 years
“I do a lot of education and advocacy work in RHAP(: Being a part of the Period Project has been something really exciting and also having Joy as a mentor has been one of the highlights of my time not only in RHAP but also in my time growing up.”
DEZJANIRA ACUNA, 22 Member for 6 years
“I am the co-administrator/volunteer recruiter and most of my duties involve creating contracts, keeping track of attendance, and other required responsibilities as well as creating curriculum content. I enjoy seeing people's reactions when they find out that we offer free reproductive, gender-affirming, and overall inclusive services because it feels good to empower my peers.”
MILAGRO TELLEZ, 17 Pisces Member for 2 years
“I am part of the social media team and I am the TikTok manager. I love being able to use my creativity while creating posts and videos!”
EMILY MOREL, 21 Virgo Member for 7 years
“My role in RHAP is being a peer educator and helping run the period mail project. I enjoy being able to teach youth about their reproductive health and working alongside other youth.”
SOPHIE HANNLEY, 14 Gemini Member for 6 months
“I work with curriculum and the period mailing team. I enjoy working with everyone and teaching teens about reproductive health.”
REBECCA RODRIGUES, 25 Capricorn Member for 2 years
“Since joining RHAP, I have been working on developing a text-messaging line that anyone in AZ can use to get information on sex and reproductive health, community resources, and services to El Rio RHAP! I love being part of an incredible group of change-makers.”
ANA FERNANDEZ, 20 Taurus Member for 2 years
“I’m part of the social media, tabling and outreach, curriculum, and period mailing project team. I mainly work on doing orders for the period mailing project. I also translate to Spanish different Instagram posts as well as other presentations. I table at different events in the community, present Pizza Protection Patries and I create educational content for Instagram. What I enjoy the most is being able to work with my peers while helping other teenagers just like us access reproductive health services and let them know all the information they need in order to help them make a decision about their reproductive health that is best for them.”
DANIEL MARRUFO, 19 Taurus Member for 5 years
“I am the Social Media Lead, hosting and managing our SMT team. The thing I enjoyed the most about RHAP is the patient interactions. It’s always something new and you feel like the time and work you’ve put in has paid off.”
ALEX SWITZER, 24 Virgo Member for 1 year
“Within RHAP, I run our Trans Health Team and work primarily in our Male Identifying Clinic. I enjoy the fact that RHAP is a program that not only serves youth in our community, but relies on and fosters the ideas of young change makers. I LOVE that we have fun working together as a team to bring our ideas to life, and get to watch it positively impact the lives of young people all around us.”
JESS CARMER, 23
Scorpio
Member for 3 years
“I actively work with curriculum team and tabling team in order to get all of our information into the community and teach sexual education. I enjoy the people I work with ! Everyone is so nice and community driven and I have made so many friends from being involved.”
CASSANDRA SMITH, 22 Aquarius Member for 2 years
“As a member of RHAP’s outreach team, I help organize events in partnership with community organizations. I also develop sex education workshops with RHAP’s curriculum team. In addition, I assist RHAP youth leaders with creating work plans and project goals. My other roles include applying to grants and conferences and developing traumainformed care trainings for staff across El Rio Health. The part I enjoy most about being in RHAP is being surrounded by passionate and inspiring young people in the program and working together to help other youth access sexual health services and education.”
WHAT'S NEXT? YOU MUST BE WONDERING WHAT FUTURE PROJECTS ARE ON RHAP'S TO-DO LIST. SO, HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK:
Reproducing projects like RHAP across other clinics, in collaboration with the AZ Department of Health. Creating content suitable for preteens about periods, online safety, consent, and more. Creating a text messaging line for quick and accurate sexual health information and resources!
Continue Telehealth research within TUSD high schools, in collaboration with the ICF and CDC. As always: education, community outreach, maintaining our website/social media, managing various projects, and more.
GET INVOLVED! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok — don't forget to like, comment, and share to help boost our engagement!
@elriorhap (3.4K followers!) Check out our website! It will have all the resources and information RHAP has to offer, from our Period Project sign-up form to the various birth control methods we offer.
elriorhap.carrd.co Promote us! Do you have friends, family members, or patients ages 14-24 who could benefit from free birth control, STI services, and anything else we offer? If so, we would love it if you spread the word! Have ideas or inquiries? Reach out to Joy Baynes (FNP) / elriorhap@gmail.com