The American College Health Association’s Sexual Health and Clinical Care Coalition (SHECCC) wants to provide you with an update on what has been going on and what you can expect in the future for the GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign.

This April, we shifted our efforts to promote GYT through the fall 2014 back-to-school campaign. However, you may still download GYT supplies, including posters, flyers, and handouts, here. Physical toolkits with pre-printed materials will not be available this year since the GYT campaign is focusing on back-to-school branding, and will we be collecting any GYT data from you as we have in the past. We hope this does not inconvenience you and your plans for the spring, but we are diligently working on a large boost in the fall with new branding.

If your college or university has been considering implementing GYT on campus, there is now peer-reviewed evidence published in the Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases to support the campaign’s efficacy. The article, entitled An Assessment of the GYT: Get Yourself Tested Campaign: An Integrated Approach to Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Communication, is an evaluation of campaign efforts from 2009-2010 and shows promising evidence that the campaign has the ability to reach youth, prompt dialogue about sexual health and testing, and increase STI testing at select testing locations across the country. This evidence can assist colleges and universities in need of administrative buy-in to support implementation of the GYT campaign. Findings specific to GYT college implementation should be published in Cases in Public Health Communication and Marketing later this year. 

Results from the 2012 ACHA Pap Test and STI Survey show a continued increase in GYT campaign participation among colleges since 2009. Participation in the GYT campaign resulted in a significant increase in STI testing during the month of April among those schools who promoted this campaign. 

Also, be sure to check out the archived Bringing GYT to Your Campus webinars (Webinar 1 and Webinar 2) where college health professionals discuss easy steps for successfully implementing the GYT campaign on their campuses and share their lessons learned. ACHA is offering 1.0 CHES continuing education credit for these webinars. Credit will be given for either Part 1 or Part 2 but not for both webinars. If you receive credit for Part 1 you are not eligible for additional credit for Part 2. Click here for more information. 

The 2014 Annual Meeting is quickly approaching! We hope you are as excited as we are for five days jam-packed with meeting events, but we hope you are equally looking forward to exploring the vibrant city of San Antonio. One of the great things about San Antonio is there truly is something for everyone. Whether you are a historian, foodie, artist, or shopper, you won’t run out of things to do. With all these choices it may be overwhelming, so ACHA has put together a page on the Annual Meeting website with some travel resources to get you started. 

One noteworthy resource is the San Antonio Vacation Experience (SAVE) Coupon Book which provides discounts for some of San Antonio’s most popular attractions. These coupons include discounts for Six Flags FiestaTexas, helicopter rides, Alamo Imax, and various sightseeing tours. The book also has discounts for museum, zoo, and rodeo admissions. There’s something for everyone so be sure to check it out! You can download and print the coupon book or access these deals through the San Antonio SAVE Mobile App.

Another great resource is the “Show Us Your Badge” offers provided by the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau. Here you’ll find a list of restaurants – many within walking distance from the conference hotels – which are providing discounts or special offers to anyone who shows up with their conference ID. Participating restaurants offer a range of selections from authentic Mexican/Tex-Mex to seafood, from steakhouse favorites to sushi. 

The San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau also has a lot of great resources on their website. They have attractions grouped into categories so guests can explore lots of options all at once based on their interests. One section that is particularly fascinating is Be A Local, where a diverse group of people who call San Antonio home share what they love about this city. It’s definitely worth checking out for yourself!

Have you not yet registered for the 2014 Annual Meeting? There’s still time! Pre-registration ends May 9, 2014, and full details are available on the Annual Meeting website. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions.