MRT Innovations in Social Determinants of Health Initiative

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Q1 Please provide your contact information below.

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Q2 Please describe your company or organizations overall goals and mission.

The Door´s mission is to empower young people to reach their potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment. Since 1972, The Door has helped a diverse and rapidly growing population of disconnected youth in New York City gain the tools they need to become successful, in school, work and in life.

The Door is unique in its ability to meet the complex needs of 10,000 New York City´s most vulnerable youth every year, under one roof. Young people in need include: young people from low–income families and communities, young people of color, LGBTQ youth, undocumented youth, young people who are homeless, youth in foster care or aging out of foster care, previously incarcerated youth, and those with mental health needs. No other organization provides the range of services we do all in one place.

We help young people achieve a better, more successful future by providing:

• Comprehensive health care, including mental health and reproductive health support, nutrition counseling, and meals. The Door is the only youth organization with a full service FQHC, Article 28 licensed health center in the facility.
• Academic integration through Broome Street Academy, a public charter high school designed for foster care and homeless youth
• Career education, including industry specific training and retention support
• Paid internships and job placement through corporate partnerships
• Civil legal assistance, including immigration, family law cases, and housing
• Crisis intervention and support for runaway and homeless youth
• Recreation and creative arts

In 2017, The Door served 10,000 young people, which included:

• 3,300 teens and young adults get vital, age–appropriate health and wellness care
• 7,000 young people eat free lunch, dinner, and snacks
• 3,400 young people advance their career and prepare for college
• 1,200 young people receive legal services for immigration and other civil law cases
• 1,900 homeless youth obtain basic necessities, counseling, health care, and permanent housing
• 1,300 young people express their creativity through artistic workshops and other creative outlets
• 330 students learn at Broome Street Academy HS and gain easier access to critical programs
• 78% were young people of color (Black and Latino)
• 21% were homeless or housing insecure
• 29% were out of school
• 18% were involved in the foster care and/or juvenile justice systems

The Door is focused on impacting the lives of young people throughout the city – and the world – and, as such, has served as a model for other, similar organizations locally, nationally and internationally. As the needs of New York City youth continue to shift and change, we work hard to shift our services in response.

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Q4 Innovation Executive Summary. Please describe the innovation, and how it addresses the social determinants of health. Please identify how the innovation addresses the 6 innovation criteria (i.e. ROI, scalability, feasibility, evidence–based support for innovation, relevance to the Medicaid population and speed to market).

The Need: Adolescents have one of the lowest rates of primary care use of any age group in the United States. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds are at the highest risk of not having regular health maintenance visits due in part to barriers to access. The Door is New York City´s ONLY adolescent health center that´s embedded in a youth development organization.
33% of our 10,000 young people visit our Health Center each year – it´s the number one reason they become Door members. Because serious mental illness is twice as common in low–income communities, our stand–alone Counseling Center offers psychiatry, counseling, and art therapy. We also integrate mental health care into ALL of our programs.

Our Health Programs:

• Primary health care
• Sexual and reproductive health care
• USCIS Exams (full exams for youth seeking a residency/citizenship in the U.S.)
• Mental health care
• Nutritional counseling and nutritious meals
• Dermatological services
• Vision Care including eyeglasses
• Dental Care and oral health education
• Laboratory services onsite
• Medication dispensary onsite
• One–on–one health education
• Peer education through educational activities, special events, and groups
• Community outreach and education
• Medicaid and Entitlements enrollment

Our Impact in 2017 included:

• 3,300 health care patients, for a total of 9,758 visits
• 1,400 youth worked with counselors, resulting in 5,300 individual and group counseling sessions
• 5,300 STI and HIV tests
• 470 dental patients
• 285 eye care patients
• 5,550 young people enjoyed free, nutritious meals
• 18,000 youth reached through school and community outreach events

The Door´s Adolescent Health Center´s goal is to provide comprehensive health care services to young people in one place, so a young person does not have to visit another location for care. The Adolescent Health Center provides care to young people accessing other services at The Door for legal services, housing/homeless services, career training, education, high school, and arts programming. Our nationally–recognized model produces measurable results because we have a deep understanding of the unique and complex needs of teens and young adults. No other organization provides the range of services we do all under one roof.

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