ETR and YTH Announce Merger to Further Innovation in Health Equity
April 8, 2019 (Oakland, CA) – ETR today announces bold plans to build its capacity to advance health equity by bringing in YTH. Effective immediately, YTH staff and technology will be fully integrated into ETR’s growing portfolio of science-based solutions.
ETR has over 35 years of experience as a health education leader, providing science-based products and services to promote sexual and reproductive health, address HIV/AIDS disparities, support drug prevention education, and promote equity and inclusion in STEM fields. YTH is a pioneering Oakland-based organization with over 17 years of experience designing technology solutions to advance the health of youth and young adults.
ETR CEO Vignetta Charles, PhD, states, “This combination of talent and strengths allows us to catapult our global work, increase our youth voice, and augment ETR’s strong history of going from concept to scale to advance health equity.”
YTH Executive Director Bhupendra Sheoran, now ETR’s Vice President of Global Development and Managing Director of the YTH Initiative, agrees, “YTH has developed powerful technology-based models for building the capacity of the community to advance youth health by engaging youth voices in the process. We look forward to carrying this work forward and amplifying the impact of youth voices to expand global health equity.”
ETR envisions a world where all people – youth, families and communities – have the information, skills and opportunities to lead healthy lives. YTH has long been dedicated to advancing the health of youth and young adults by delivering the resources they need with technologies that reach young people where they are.
“Expect to see the same amazing work and more as we maximize on the strengths of coming together,” added Charles. “For all of us, our work will always be about the communities we serve.”
ETR and YTH will celebrate the merger at YTH LIVE, the premier youth tech health conference, May 5-6, 2019, in San Francisco. Learn more at www.ythlive.org.
ABOUT ETR
ETR is a nonprofit, science-based organization that invests all proceeds into promoting health and well-being for youth, families and communities. ETR’s multidisciplinary staff has a powerful history of successfully taking science-based solutions from concept to scale, working to transform outcomes in four broad areas:
- HIV, Sexual & Reproductive Health
- Since its founding in 1981, ETR has promoted the sexual and reproductive health of young people and communities internationally. It is the only agency that researches, develops, implements, evaluates and disseminates programs and strategies to prevent HIV/AIDS and improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes. ETR offers the largest collection of evidence-based and evidence-informed sexual and reproductive health interventions and programs as well as award-winning health promotion materials.
- Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs
- ETR works extensively with organizations, tribal nations, and government entities to provide resources and technical assistance to address health inequities related to tobacco and drug use.
- School-Based Health & Wellness
- ETR’s products and services focus on creating science-based solutions to the most critical health and wellness problems facing students attending primary, secondary, and post-secondary educational institutions.
- Equity & Inclusion in STEM
- ETR is nationally known for its interdisciplinary expertise in research, evaluation and program strategies to increase equity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
