Kids who are living on the streets are at extremely high risk of HIV infection. In the absence of job skills, they may turn to prostitution to support themselves. Without the prospect of safety, they may seek escape through drug use. The best way to ensure their bright futures is to bring them off the streets and help them recover from the exploitive pasts that led them to these risky behaviors in the first place. As they rebuild their lives with the support of Larkin Street Youth Services, they gain the skills and knowledge they need to protect themselves by participating in our comprehensive HIV prevention program.

The young people we serve are highly diverse—in age, in racial and ethnic background, in socioeconomic status. To meet their unique and individual needs, Larkin Street offers a range of prevention services throughout all of our programs; these services include: individual outreach, one-on-one risk reduction counseling, conveniently accessible drop-in groups, ongoing classes and workshops, and employment training to give them safe options for supporting themselves. Last year, more than 1,000 youth participated in HIV prevention activities at Larkin Street.

Larkin Street’s goal is that all of the young people in our services will know their HIV status as a means of protecting themselves and others. Larkin Street was the first site in San Francisco to offer youth-friendly HIV testing more than 20 years ago. Today, we test nearly 400 kids annually.

We offer all of our interventions from a harm reduction perspective. Harm reduction is a nonjudgmental philosophy that allows young people to have input into their own recovery plans and gives them skills to prevent HIV no matter where they are in their journey off the streets. With Larkin Street’s HIV prevention services, kids can change their behaviors, maintain their health, and focus on the bright futures that lie ahead.

Back

Programs Home