We investigated perceived impacts of COVID-19 on the delivery of adolescent HIV treatment and prevention services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by administering a survey to members of the Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA) from February to April 2021. We organized COVID-19 impacts, as perceived by AHISA teams, under three themes: service interruptions, service adjustments, and perceived individual-level health impacts. AHISA teams commonly reported interruptions to prevention programs, diagnostic testing, and access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Common service adjustments included decentralization of ART refills, expanded multi-month ART distribution, and digital technology use. Perceived individual-level impacts included social isolation, loss to follow-up, food insecurity, poverty, and increases in adolescent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The need for collaboration among stakeholders were commonly cited as lessons learned by AHISA teams. Survey findings highlight the need for implementation science research to evaluate the effects of pandemic-related HIV service adaptations in SSA.

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>When planning interventions for adolescents, adult interventions should not be used 'as is' in youth settings. Stakeholder engagement can help understand the overall adolescent mental health ecosystem and adapt existing evidence-based interventions for the youth.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To understand the overall mental health needs of adolescents in Botswana and the necessary adaptations required for an adolescent lay counselor based intervention in the country.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We used the theory of change model and the nominal group technique in five stakeholder meetings. Meetings were held to discuss the mental health needs of youth in Botswana and identify priorities for a lay counsellor based intervention modelled after the Friendship Bench intervention, an existing mental health intervention for adults.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The root causes of mental health problems among Botswana's youth identified by stakeholders included limited mental health knowledge among the youth and the community, family problems, poor communication, low self-esteem, the rapid growth of technology, and biological/genetic predisposition. Structurally barriers included: mental illness-related stigma, lack of psychosocial support, incomplete follow up for health services, cultural beliefs about mental illness, and fragmented mental health services. The stakeholders envisage a program that could empower adolescents and youth counselors to address mental health concerns for a healthier community. The group identified and prioritized several key elements of an effective lay counselor intervention.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>A diverse group of community stakeholders can illustrate critical mental health needs and elements that countries could use to adapt and contextualize a lay counsellor based mental health intervention for new populations such as the youth.</p>

<p><strong>STUDY OBJECTIVE: </strong>Botswana has a high pregnancy rate among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use among AGYW in Botswana is low, despite its high effectiveness for preventing pregnancy. Using an implementation science framework, we assessed barriers and facilitators to LARC implementation among AGYW in Botswana.</p>

<p><strong>DESIGN: </strong>Cross-sectional mixed methods.</p>

<p><strong>SETTING: </strong>Gaborone, Botswana.</p>

<p><strong>PARTICIPANTS: </strong>20 sexually active AGYW ages 18-24; 20 health system stakeholders.</p>

<p><strong>INTERVENTIONS: </strong>Surveys and semi-structured interviews grounded in the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).</p>

<p><strong>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: </strong>Themes reflecting barriers and facilitators of LARC implementation.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The median age for AGYW was 22 (IQR 21-23). Twenty percent were using an implant and none had ever used an intrauterine device. Barriers and facilitators to LARC implementation spanned factors at each CFIR domain: 1) LARC characteristics like side effects; 2) the clinics' inner settings, including availability of youth-friendly services; 3) characteristics of health system stakeholders, such as LARC skills, and AGYW experiences, attitudes and beliefs about LARCs; 4) the outer setting external to clinics and Botswana's health system including reproductive health law and policy for minor adolescents; and 5) the implementation process level such as the availability of free or low-cost LARCs.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>We identified multi-level, context-specific factors that affect LARC implementation. Our findings can inform the development of interventions to increase LARC implementation in Botswana by addressing intersecting factors across patient, clinic, health system, and sociopolitical levels, such as providing confidential services to minors and improving LARC training and supply chain pipelines.</p>