We EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE
Health Connected is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in East Palo Alto, dedicated to empowering young people to make informed decisions about their sexual health and relationships. Each year, we reach over 18,000 students, parents, and educators in California through our comprehensive sexual health education programs.
Our mission is to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to navigate their sexual health throughout their lives. We achieve this goal through three distinct programs: Youth Services, which provides puberty and sexual health education in schools; Parent Services, which offers workshops on parent-child communication about sexual health; and Training & Technical Assistance, which provides education professionals with the resources they need to deliver effective sexual health education.
At Health Connected, we believe that talking about sexual health should be an ongoing conversation, not a one-time event. That’s why we blend medically accurate information with an interactive and non-judgmental approach to learning. We work with families from all cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds to ensure that everyone feels comfortable participating in our programs.
Our goal is not just to provide information, but to help students develop the confidence, introspection, and decision-making skills they need to apply that information to their lives, now and in the future. With Health Connected, young people can feel empowered to make healthy choices about their sexual health and relationships.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988
Health Connected was founded in 1988 as the South County Teen Pregnancy Task Force, a coalition of education, health, and human services providers in Redwood City. In 1995, it was incorporated as the Teen Pregnancy Coalition of San Mateo County, with a focus on providing support services to pregnant and parenting youth.
Over the years, the organization developed its Teen Talk sexual health curricula and broadened its focus to STI prevention. This led to a change in the organizational identity to become Teen Talk Sexuality Education, and eventually to Health Connected in 2014, which became an umbrella for all of its sexual health programs.
In 2020, Health Connected adapted its programs for online instruction in response to school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization completed the 2020-21 school year serving the most students, parents, and teachers in organizational history, all online. Throughout the years, Health Connected has served over 15,000 people annually in the Bay Area and across California and has increased its investment in parent engagement and support.
Today, Health Connected provides comprehensive sexual health education and support to more than 18,000 young people, parents, and education professionals annually. We offer a range of programs, including Puberty Talk, Teen Talk, Teen Talk Adapted for All Abilities, Parent Talk, and our Training & Technical Assistance program for education professionals.