Adolescent Health Policy Watch: The Senate recently proposed to form an Office of Adolescent Health.
Maternal and child health programs include services to the nation’s women, infants, children, adolescents and their families, including children and youth with special health care needs.
Adolescence - defined as the period of life extending from 10-24 - is a crucial developmental period characterized by physical, emotional and intellectual changes, as well as changes in social roles, relationships and expectations. It is a time of growing independence and discovery and a period when behaviors are established that can have an impact on both immediate and ongoing health outcomes.
In general adolescents in the United States are healthy. In fact, according to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance report, the prevalence of many health-risk behaviors among high school students nationwide has decreased. However, too many young people continue to engage in behaviors such as tobacco use, unprotected sexual activity or poor nutrition and physical activity habits that have both immediate and long-term negative consequences.
Thus one of the most important commitments maternal and child health programs can make to improve the quality of life for maternal and child health populations is to address the health and developmental needs of its young people to promote future health, education, social, and economic outcomes.
AMCHP’s 2005 – 2009 Strategic Plan identified adolescent preventive health as a focus area for special attention. Adolescent preventive health is defined as promoting the health of adolescents by helping states build partnerships and strengthen their capacity and address adolescent health from a resiliency/asset approach and to prevent risk-taking behaviors. To learn more about AMCHP's adolescent health goals, click here.
With funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent School Health, and the Health Services and Resources Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, AMCHP works with maternal and child health professionals to:
- Increase awareness of adolescent health within Title V programs;
- Address adolescent health from a resiliency/asset approach; and
- Strengthen the capacity of Title V programs to partner with schools and youth-serving organizations to prevent behaviors that place school-aged youth at risk for negative health outcomes.
Project Areas
AMCHP Resources
External Resources
Key Partners
Staff Contacts
Sharron Corle
Associate Director, Adolescent Health
Region VIII Liaison
x109, (202) 266-3036
Lissa Pressfield, MHS
Program Manager, Adolescent Health
Region VII Liaison
x119, (202) 266-3037
The AMCHP web site contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences.