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Adolescent Health, Safety and Well-Being Legislative Tracking and Resources

Adolescent Health |  Adolescent Safety and Well-Being | Outside Resources |Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health 

2007 Annual Meeting Resources

ADOLESCENT HEALTH
   Adolescence is a unique developmental stage that poses both health risks and the opportunity to develop healthy habits for the future.  Often, these risks and opportunities coincide.  For instance, teens may be making decisions about sexual activities, which is an opportunity for education about STD's, healthy relationships, and the risk of pregnancy.  Young people are developing eating and physical activity habits; such habits can help or hurt when it comes to obesity and chronic disease prevention.  Working with young adults to create healthy habits and treat health concerns early is a way to ensure a healthier future.   
   Beyond ensuring a healthy future for these teens, states have an interest in reducing these staggering statistics about the state of teen health in the United States: 75 of every 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 gives birth each year, which cost the U.S. over $9.1 billion in 2004; there are more than 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases each year, over half are in people ages 15 to 24; 11 percent of children and adolescents are overweight or obese; over 8 million young people 18 and younger have no health insurance, and this number gets bigger as adolescents age; over 3 million young adults age 18 to 21 have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition; 70 percent of juvenile offenders have a mental illness.  The numbers are daunting, but states have already made progress in some of these areas.  Please see the NCSL resources below for more information on specific adolescent health issues.

Related Healthy People 2010 Goals: Mortality--reduce deaths; Unintentional Injury--reduce deaths caused by motor vehicle crashes; reduce deaths and injuries caused by alcohol- and drug-related motor vehicle crashes; increase use of safety belts; reduce the proportion who report that they rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol; Mental Health and Substance Abuse--reduce the suicide rate; reduce the rate of suicide attempts that required medical attention; reduce the proportion of those with disabilities who are reported to be sad, unhappy or depressed; increase the proportion of those with mental health problems who receive treatment; reduce the proportion engaging in binge drinking of alcoholic beverages; reduce past-month use of illicit substances (marijuana); Reproductive Health--reduce pregnancies; reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses; reduce the proportion with Chlamydia Trachomatis infections; increase the proportion who abstain from sexual intercourse or use condoms if sexually active; Prevention of Chronic Disease--reduce tobacco use; reduce the proportion who are overweight or obese increase the proportion who engage in vigorous physical activity that promotes cardiorespiratory fitness 3 or more days per week for 20 minutes or more per occasion.

NCSL RESOURCES:

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ADOLESCENT SAFETY AND WELL-BEING
  Adolescence is a unique time in a young person's development when they--along with the adults in their lives--realize that, while they are no longer children, they are not "little adults" either.  Young people spend this unique transitional stage exploring the new freedoms and opportunities available to them, forming habits that they will take into adulthood, and making a number of decisions for the first time.  It is essential that teens be allowed to have these new and formative experiences, but it is just as important that they have caring adults who will help them through these sometimes scary experiences. 
  The issues in adolescent health are different than the issues for other population groups.  Young people do not typically die of disease, but rather die in accidents and other activities that are often products of  risky behaviors.  The leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20 is motor vehicle crashes, followed by homicide and suicide.  Motor vehicle accidents involving teen drivers cost $40.8 billion in 2002.  A truly comprehensive approach to adolescent health also includes their safety and well-being, forcing policymakers to also review issues like driving safety, violence and suicide prevention, the juvenile justice system, and positive youth development.  Please see the following NCSL resources for more information on adolescent safety, well-being, and positive youth development.

Related Healthy People 2010 Goals: Violence--reduce homicides; reduce physical fighting among adolescents; reduce weapon carrying on school property.

NCSL RESOURCES:

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OUTSIDE RESOURCES  

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PARTNERS IN PROGRAM PLANNING FOR ADOLESCENT HEALTH  

The Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health (PIPPAH) initiative is a multi-year cooperative agreement funded by HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The program promotes an adolescent health agenda based on the Healthy People 2010 goals, including 21 "critical health objectives" for adolescents and young adults.  The PIPPAH partnership seeks to develop the infrastructure to comprehensively address adolescent health issues within grantee organizations, membership groups, and local, state and national governments.  The partnership will enhance communication within the adolescent health-interested community, increase awareness about issues affecting young adults, and promote cross-cutting practices at all government levels which are effective at meeting the needs of adolescents.  PIPPAH encourages collaborative efforts across disciplines and professional organizations, as each grantee undertakes activities relevant to their constituent groups to promote awareness of and support for adolescent health and positive youth development.

PIPPAH Grantee Organizations:

Other Partner Organizations:

Special thanks to the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration for their support of the PIPPAH collaborative.

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