Medical & Support Services For Adolescents

Health and Education Alternatives For Teens (HEAT) Program

The Health and Education Alternatives for Teens (HEAT) Program is a unique program that focuses on the special needs of young people ages 13 to 24 who are HIV positive or at risk. All services are free, confidential and comprehensive. Set in a youth-friendly atmosphere, the HEAT Program operates a "one-stop shopping" full service clinic and removes the barriers which youth often face while accessing health care services. HEAT provides comprehensive services for youth including HIV counseling and testing, STD screening and treatment, GYN care, case management services, mental health services, treatment for HIV+ youth 13-24, support groups, and health education. HEAT also serves a leadership role in strengthening the network of youth-oriented providers in the metropolitan area and heightening public awareness about the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on adolescents. The HEAT Program was founded in 1991, making it the first of its kind in Brooklyn. We are committed to providing age-appropriate and culturally competent care for all youth--straight, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and from all ethnic backgrounds.

This New York State-funded program supports comprehensive care for adolescents in the borough of Brooklyn. A multi-disciplinary team provides ongoing medical care to infected youth and assessments for those at risk. Staff also work with a variety of community-based programs to provide education, support and referral opportunities for youth at risk for HIV infection. The program takes referrals from all five boroughs and offers services to teens regardless of ability to pay.

For further information, please contact:

Jeffrey Birnbaum, MD, MPH
Director, HEAT Program
Phone: (718) 282-1199
Fax: (718) 467-1718

Email: jeffrey.birnbaum@downstate.edu