Social Health Association (SHA) is a leader in sexuality education and life skills instruction for school children in Central Indiana. The Association’s rich history can be traced to 1937 when a group of community leaders formed a committee to fight the growing syphilis epidemic. Then known as the Anti Syphilis League, the organization took its battle directly to the streets of the community, providing counseling and outreach to those considered most at risk of contracting syphilis.

As medical advances were made in the combat against syphilis, the agency began to focus more on prevention education and risk reduction and entered into partnerships with schools to provide expert presentations to health classes. In 1943, the name of the organization was changed to the Social Hygiene Association of Central Indiana then soon thereafter became the Social Health Association of Indiana. The Association’s mission was rewritten, with emphasis placed on providing school-based instruction on issues related to sexuality and social education.

In the early 90s, in response to the HIV pandemic, an HIV/STD program was added to the curricular offerings. This was a controvesial time in the sex education arena and many schools looked to the agency for advice, information and guidance on HIV.

In 2000, in response to community and school needs, a life skills component was added that focuses on bullying and violence prevention.

As a health education agency, SHA employs only trained and experienced teaching staff. All educators are degreed, have many years of classroom experience and are fully-trained to teach in the area of Human Growth and Development, HIV/STDS, and Life Skills.

Social Health Association is proud of our continued long-standing affiliations. The agency has been a member agency of United Way of Central Indiana since 1943 and the United Way of Madison County since 2010. Social Health Association is an original tenant of the English Foundation Building in downtown Indianapolis, having resided there since 1953.