Psychosocial Support

We offer psychosocial support to our patients through our Teen Club, Wise Youth and Caring Father’s programs.

Teen Club supports HIV positive youth aged 11-18 years old and meets monthly at our COE and SCOEs. The mission of Teen Club is to empower HIV-positive adolescents to build positive relationships, improve their self-esteem and acquire life skills. Teen Club strives to ensure improved clinical and mental health outcomes for our adolescents as well as a healthy transition into young adulthood through peer mentorship, adult role modeling and structured activities.

In 2012, a Wise Youth group for youth 18-24 years old was formed at our COE to provide continued life skills support for youth that have graduated Teen Club and remain patients of Baylor. The Wise Youth meet once a month to share in educational and recreational activities. Identified Wise Youth serve as adult volunteers in Teen Clubs to facilitate activities and to serve as positive role models and mentors for the younger teens. Plans are being developed to begin similar youth groups in other sites.

Caring Fathers
Caring Fathers is a support group for men who have HIV-infected family members. The program encourages men to get tested, to access treatment, to support their families and to discuss their everyday challenges and share advice. Caring Fathers meets monthly at the COE and is led by one of our social workers. In February 2019, we dedicated Caring Father’s Day to clinical services in addition to psychosocial support. We’ve added male healthcare providers who offer various services ranging from HIV testing to prostate cancer screening.