Welcome to our S.A.F.E. Lab

WE ARE 100% INVESTED IN THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
OF OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS

MISSION

The mission of the Sexual Awareness For Everyone (S.A.F.E.) Lab is to develop creative, innovative and effective sexual health programs that will empower youth and young adults to make informed, responsible decisions about their sexual health. Our goal is to create “sex-positive” environments in public school settings and on college/university campuses where youth and young adult college students feel comfortable seeking sexual health services (i.e., STI and HIV testing, screening, education, treatment and tangible resources).

GOALS

• Design Innovative, Engaging Programs. We understand that helping youth and young adults means to address the “whole” person. Our program of research is designed to help improve the health and well-being of our youth and young adult populations, which includes:
  • STI and HIV prevention and awareness information
  • Improves access to care, testing/screening, treatment and counseling
  • Reduce STI and HIV-related stigma, fear, shame and discrimination
• Advocate for Community Engagement. Community engagement is key to successful STI and HIV prevention! The S.A.F.E. Lab has a network of community partners such as, our local Tarrant County Public Health Department, UTA Student Health Center, community health clinics, faith-based organizations and UTA student ambassadors in an effort to improve sexual-reproductive health outcomes for our youth and young adults.
• Empowerment through Education. Our goal is to develop culturally tailored programs that will teach our young people skills that are transferable and applicable to all relationships. We will cover a broad spectrum of topics that include communication skills, condom use negotiation, consent, sexual gender and gender identity, birth control methods, becoming “sexually responsible” and knowing your status.
• Creating a Sex-Positive Environment. How do we demonstrate a “sex-positive environment? Through the utilization and dissemination of robust research, social media publicity and advocacy among our community partnerships we will strive to normalize sexual healthcare by cultivating an environment that:
  • Permits freedom from fear, shame, guilt, false beliefs, and other psycho- logical factors
  • Offers access to affordable (or free) preventative methods (e.g., condoms, dental dams, birth control)
  • Provides safe spaces and resources to discuss sexual health needs