DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Sierra Ellis

LCSW-BACS License Clinical Social Worker Board Approved Clinical Supervisor

Engaging Black Female Youth in HIV Prevention Efforts Through Youth-Led Initiatives

Concentration - Administrative Leadership

Abstract

This Capstone project examines how youth-led programs improve HIV awareness and leadership abilities among Black female adolescents. Due to the high HIV infection rates among this population, the research targets youth-driven interventions, including peer education programs, workshops, and youth advisory boards. These initiatives empower Black young women to learn HIV prevention methods and cultivate community leadership and advocacy skills. The research included nine studies that combined randomized clinical trials with mixed-methods research approaches through systematic review. Research shows that youth-led programs enhance the understanding of HIV prevention and result in safer sexual practices among young people. These programs enable young women to manage their health while leading efforts to strengthen overall community health standards. These interventions succeed by connecting with participants through culturally relevant and community-driven approaches that help overcome stigma and healthcare barriers. It highlights youth leadership as a vital component of public health strategies to address HIV prevention disparities. This initiative demonstrates the essential role of youth-driven programs that respect cultural contexts to resolve health disparities and enable Black female youth to take on leadership roles within their communities.

Biography

Sierra S. Ellis, LCSW-BACS, is a licensed clinical social worker board-approved clinical supervisor with substantial knowledge of behavioral health. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a Master of Social Work degree from
Grambling State University. She is currently a University of Kentucky Doctoral Candidate in Social Work Administrative Leadership. Sierra serves as a Behavioral Health Therapist at Pinnacle Family Health in West Monroe, Louisiana, where she provides psychotherapy to clients from diverse backgrounds, primarily individuals living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ community.

Sierra’s expertise ranges from clients aged five to geriatrics. Her Capstone Project focuses on engaging Black female youth in HIV prevention through youth-led initiatives, integrating the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Black Feminism Theory to encourage leadership and promote community health empowerment.

She is known for her dedication to mental health services and community advocacy. She has been on the executive board of Family Promise, a non-profit for homeless families, for over five years. She has assisted homeless veterans and people with mental health difficulties to find affordable homes and other resources to help them sustain themselves. Her professional background includes roles as Clinical Director of a mental health agency, Behavioral Health Case Manager, and provider of telehealth services in rural areas across multiple states. Sierra is committed to improving mental health awareness, improving vulnerable populations' lives, and promoting systemic change in community health practices.