About TSU SHAPE Initiative
The TSU S.H.A.P.E. Initiative (TSI) is a Texas Southern University and communitybased partnership established by the Department of Social Work in 2014 and annually funded through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). S.H.A.P.E. is an acronym representing core targets to include Substance Use, Mental Health, HIV/AIDS, and Prevention Education. The program focuses on addressing health disparities through the provision of easily accessible and culturally sensitive service delivery. TSI offers students and community members free and confidential in-person and virtual health screenings, community-based referrals, educational and volunteer opportunities, and service linkage consistent with its motto: Awareness, Action, and Empowerment. TSI is a single initiative comprised of three primary programs: CHANGE (Change Through Healing Awareness Networks and Gateways to Empowerment), YES (Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Services), and the #Bruthas Project that collectively serve individuals 13+ years of age on the Texas Southern University campus, in Greater 3rd and 5th Ward communities, and throughout Greater Houston.