New York City STEP UP STD School Screening Program Team, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

New York City STEP UP STD School Screening Program Team

Left to Right

  • 1st Row: Grace Pabarue, Mark Naftel, Joyce Wilson, Kira M. Smith
  • 2nd Row: Aldo Crossa, Meighan Rogers, Ingrid Jackson-Nedd, Gregory Rhodes, Dr. Miriam Noetzel, Ray Ortiz

Not pictured: Jimelle DeSouza, Veronica Rodriguez, Alexis Thompson, Reginald Jolly

STEP UP, School Based Testing and Education Program for Urban Populations, is a free program that provides a successful education and sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment program to NYC public high school students and young adults.

The STEP UP team is made up of 14 public health professionals who play an essential role in identifying asymptomatic cases of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia among students. The STEP UP Team provides educational presentations to students, teachers, parents and other concerned members of the community providing public health information on STD/HIV/AIDS and related issues as well as behavioral strategies for risk reduction and partner notification. In addition to providing testing and education, the team also provides Emergency Contraception to at risk females, EPT for any CT positive student and will be offering HIV testing to any student who has previously tested positive for GC or CT within the program. In 2010 the team educated 19,600 students and tested approximately 8300 students from nearly 100 different schools or programs. They identified 543 cases of GC and/or CT and counseled and treated more than 90% of these students.

Learn more about Public Health Educators, Epidemiologists and Public Health Support Staff