Scale It Up (SIU) Florida: A Youth Learning Health Community
Scale It Up (SIU) Florida is a youth learning health community focused on innovation, discovery, and improving health among Florida's youth, including HIV prevention and treatment. Through community-driven research, we provide research, outreach, service, and education to young people (up to age 29) and the agencies that serve them.
About Us
Our Mission
Our community-engaged research mission is to improve health among adolescents and emerging adults, with a focus on social determinants of health.
Our Learning Health Community Model
SIU-FL aims to build a youth-focused and community-based learning health community focused on improving health and wellness among adolescents and emerging adults in Florida through community-driven research, discovery and innovation.
- Conduct innovative and useful research and scientific methods to end the youth HIV epidemic in Florida.
- Promote community engagement and partnerships with health organizations to address HICV and other sexual health issues in young people (ages 13 - 19) living in Florida.
- Establish partnerships and connections across the state.
How do we get there?
We have a plan that involves not just you, but everyone! Using research, our community, and professionals with lots of knowledge on health subjects, we believe we can make a difference! Our plan involves:
- Share a statewide, community-driven research agenda with important organizations throughout Florida to target HIV and other sexual health issues in young people.
- Develop professional-led steering communities to bridge voices from the community to providers and organizations.
- Conduct needs assessments in many different areas relevant to health among young people.
- Use the information we gather to target regions and identify young people who may have difficulties staying in care.
- Promote and support new opportunities for youth engagement, knowledge exchange, and the meaningful application of that knowledge to build healthier, stronger communities.
What have we accomplished?
We’ve been working towards connecting with more professionals and reaching more young people across the state. By teaming up with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and local county health departments, we’re expanding our research, building stronger partnerships, and taking real steps to help end the youth HIV epidemic in Florida. We’re committed to showing up in every corner of the state because everyone deserves the support and resources to live a healthy life.