The 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic
The statistics are dire: black teens are seven times more likely to be infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea than their white counterparts. And teen pregnancy rates in Bayview Hunters Point are nearly double the citywide rate. But the 3rd St. Youth Center and Clinic is working to help local teens beat those odds. The center serves 1,700 Bayview Hunters Point youth every year, guided by its mission of helping them make healthy and safe decisions that improve their physical, emotional, and social health, empowering them to become successful, contributing adults.
It all started in 2001 with a modest $15,000 and a few of the organization’s founders going into summer school to help teens. “This is truly a community project – not someone’s brainchild or gift,” Medical Director Ayanna Bennett explains. “It was formed because Bayview residents were talking about what the neighborhood needs, and people were willing to get behind it.” The center eventually established its home in a former liquor store and filled an urgent need—ongoing health support services—that the neighborhood lacked.
Youth from 12 to 24 visit the center knowing services are always free and confidential. While health care services are the most widely used, professionals also work with teens on issues such as leadership development and self-image through individual counseling and group activities.
Anthony, who participates in 3rd Street programs, attests to the center’s supportive environment. “3rd Street staff helped me become a good problem solver. I always find the right resource here to help me with whatever I need.”
Thanks to Metta Fund’s grant in 2010, 3rd Street Youth Center and Clinic has been able to expand and commit more resources—a family practitioner and three staff members—to its prenatal program. Though 25 percent of clinic visits are for pregnancy tests, there hadn’t been adequate care available to expecting teens. Now, the center has formed prenatal groups that meet regularly for social support and health education. The teens have responded well and are better at keeping up with their frequent doctor’s appointments, partly due to the peer support model.
A bright future lies ahead for the center and for many of the teens who come to 3rd Street. For more information, please visit 3rd Street’s site.
