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Adolescent Health Advocates Gather at Legislature for Annual Event
AHAD 2007 seeks to bring together health workers, teens and legislators to highlight teen health issues in North Carolina
Raleigh, March 6, 2007 - Over 200 health workers, teens and legislators will gather together Tuesday at the State Legislature to share their thoughts and recommendations on teen health issues in North Carolina during the annual Adolescent Health Advocacy Day (AHAD). Over 100 teens will attend and four teens and legislators will speak on four different health focus areas: Provide Access to Age
Appropriate, Medically Accurate Sexuality Education; Ensure Sufficient Funding
for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention; Provide Adolescents with
Improved Access to Healthcare; and Improve Adolescents' Physical Health. Teens will then have an opportunity to participate in a youth forum to discuss what they feel are the pressing health issues in North Carolina. Following the speeches and youth forum, teens and health workers will meet individually with their legislators to discuss recommendations and options for future legislation.
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AHAD provides teen a voice to adovcate for their own best interests.
"AHAD is really all about giving teens the opportunity to speak up for themselves," said AHAD organizer Melinda DeJongh, "It connects them to the legislative process and shows them that they can speak up for themselves and make a real difference. It's all about empowering teens." AHAD is also an opportunity for youth-serving professionals to learn more about the legislative process and the decisions that often affect their funding in a meaningful way. "Last year North Carolina spent $2.5 million to prevent teen pregnancies across the state," said Kay Phillips, Executive Director of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina, "and teen pregnancy alone costs NC $312 million annually. That's not even including such issues as tobacco cessation, obesity, adolescent mental health and access to health care. Clearly North Carolina must focus more heavily on prevention in order to ensure that the future of our state is in good hands."
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| Adolescent Health Advocacy Day History
Since 2001, agencies across the state have partnered for an
annual Adolescent Health Advocacy Day (AHAD).
The purpose of AHAD is to call legislative attention to youth health
issues (such as tobacco use, access to healthcare, and medically accurate sexuality
education).
The
North Carolina General Assembly is a "part-time legislature."
This means that in odd years they meet for about six months and any issue can
be considered. In odd years, AHAD takes place at the legislative building
in Raleigh.
Advocates meet in the morning to hear presentations of the health issues
(speakers are high school students and state senators and
representatives). This year there will be a youth forum immediately
following the morning presentations, so that youth participants can share what
impact the featured health issues have on their lives. It will also be an
opportunity for the adult participants to hear directly from young people. In
the afternoon, participants go to prearranged meetings with their legislators
to discuss the issues and offer recommendations for how they can be addressed
through policy. AHAD will begin on March 6 at 10 am in the Legislative Auditorium. The event will conclude at 11:30 am, with a youth forum following at 11:45 - 12:45. Members of the press are invited to attend.
AHAD is a collaborative effort between the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina, Durham
County Health Department, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, North
Carolina Division of Public Health, Family Planning and Reproductive Health
Unit, Wake Teen Medical Services and Wilmington
Health Access for Teens. It is sponsored by the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North
Carolina, Anson County Partnership for Children, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
North Carolina, Cherokee County School Health Advisory Council, Community
Enrichment Organization of Edgecombe County, North Carolina Pediatric
Society/NC Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Thomasville Council on
Adolescent Health and Wilmington Health Access for Teens.
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| About Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of NC
APPCNC is a non-profit organization that partners
with individuals, agencies, and communities in North
Carolina to prevent teen pregnancy, thereby
improving the lives of young people. APPCNC has been
recognized nationally for its innovative work in the
area of teen pregnancy prevention and provides
services in all 100 North Carolina counties through
Advocacy, Collaboration and Education. APPCNC can be
contacted at (919) 932-9885.
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Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention
Coalition of NC
Kay Phillips
Executive Director
(919) 932-9885
kphillips@appcnc.org
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