Essential Access Health

Sexual health is a fundamental human right. Everyone across the globe deserves access to comprehensive care and accurate information, with complete autonomy over their body and sexuality. At Essential Access Health, we are proud that our work expands access to sexual health in communities across the country through our advocacy, programs, provider and health center trainings, youth empowerment initiatives, and clinical research studies. On #WorldSexualHealthDay, let's continue to advocate for a world where sexual health is recognized, protected, and accessible to all. #HealthEquity #SexualHealthForAll

Happy Sexual Health Awareness Month! ✨ The World Health Organization defines sexual health as a state of physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality. It includes access to accurate information, resources, and services, as well as the ability to make informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. At Essential Access Health, we're dedicated to making sure everyone has access to the care they need, where and how they need it, with dignity and respect ✊

📣 We’re excited to share that #SB954 advanced out of the CA legislature and now moves to the Governor’s desk for signing. Thank you Senator Caroline Menjivar for your leadership and #CALeg members for supporting youth health equity! 🙌

We had 160 people join us for last week’s impactful discussion on medication abortion at college health centers, alongside Reproductive Health Access Project & Advocates for Youth! Our work to expand abortion access on college campuses is more crucial than ever, with student organizers, college health providers, and administrative experts highlighting the importance of this groundbreaking movement. If you're a student or work on a college campus, we encourage you to explore opportunities to expand access to abortion care on your campus. Fill out the form linked below to get started! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this discussion and continues to support efforts to bring medication abortion to college campuses 🙏✨ https://lnkd.in/e4J4686m

Governor Josh Green has proclaimed August as Community Health Worker Awareness Month in Hawai‘i 🌺 🌈 Community Health Workers play an essential role in expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care, bridging gaps in services, and advocating for communities. We honor their commitment to advancing health equity and improving community well-being. #HICHWMonth #HealthEquity #CommunityHealthWorkers

We are proud to have co-authored a groundbreaking study with RTI International on equitable access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care that has the potential to drive real change to reduce health disparities and foster equity. The study, funded by the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA), introduces a new risk score, the Local Social Inequity in Sexual and Reproductive Health (LSI-SRH) score, which looks at how social determinants of health like poverty and wealth inequality, food insecurity, housing, and healthcare access affect the community-level risk of poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes. The LSI-SRH score is a community-level measure where "community" is defined as the census tract. After analyzing social determinants across 72,999 communities (i.e., census tracts) in the 50 states and District of Columbia, the researchers found that the LSI-SRH score accounts for a substantial amount (81%) of inequitable differences in sexual and reproductive health outcomes. The LSI-SRH score can be used to: • target interventions • influence resource distribution • inform policy development Together, we're making strides towards reducing SRH inequities. #SRH #HealthEquity #PublicHealth Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/eUTy436Z

Wonderful to have our Senior Director of Capacity Building, Andria Hancock-Crear, attend the Black Women For Wellness 25th Reproductive Justice Conference: A New ERA - Our Bodies, Our Voices, Our Freedom, alongside a strong champion for sexual and reproductive health, Attorney General Rob Bonta. The conference brings together a community of Black women and girls to discuss our fundamental rights and how they are in jeopardy. The event is in full swing with crucial conversations about reproductive justice and health equity. #ReproductiveJustice #BlackWomenForWellness #OurBodiesOurVoicesOurFreedom

The CDC's updated guidelines for contraception are here! The goals of these recommendations are to remove unnecessary medical barriers to accessing and using contraception and to support the provision of person-centered contraceptive counseling and services in a noncoercive manner. Key updates: 1️⃣ New recommendations for providing pain medication when inserting an IUD. 2️⃣ New recommendations for bleeding irregularities during implant use. 3️⃣ New recommendations for testosterone use and risk for pregnancy. 4️⃣ New recommendations for self-administration of injectable contraception. These evidence-based recommendations serve as a source of guidance for health care providers. Read the full update: https://lnkd.in/gh9uN82A

Across the country, STI rates continue to rise at alarming rates, with over half of all reported cases of STIs among young people ages 15-24. The Youth Health Equity + Safety Act will improve health equity outcomes in California by making free condoms available in public high schools statewide and helping to protect access to comprehensive sex education! Send a letter and urge Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas to pass #SB954 off of suspense in Assembly Appropriations and advance it to the floor! https://lnkd.in/enWs5kZg

We are excited to announce that Porsia L. Curry, Ed.D., M.S., has joined Essential Access Health as our new Vice President of Culture + People. Dr. Curry (she/her) brings 12 years of experience delivering strategic initiatives and policies that infuse and amplify diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) practices organization-wide, reimagine workplace culture and experiences, and operationalize equity in all areas of operation. Prior to joining Essential Access, Dr. Curry was Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for LA28, tasked with creating and advancing DEIB across the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Previously, Dr. Curry spent nine years at the University of California, San Diego, serving as a Campus Diversity Officer and Center Director for the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion division. She is also a researcher focused on DEIAJ and workplace culture. Welcome, Dr. Curry!