NACCHO MCH Newsletter: July 19, 2007

Adolescence is a period filled with both tremendous possibility and great risk. Health outcomes and related behaviors considered of most crucial concern for this population include: mortality, unintentional injury, violence, mental health and substance abuse, reproductive health, immunizations, and chronic diseases.¹ In addition to behavioral factors, social and structural factors such as disconnected communities, disorganized schools and neighborhoods, negative media influences, lack of access to adequate and appropriate health care, as well as other economic and social inequities have contributed to the poor health outcomes experienced by this population.²While this stage can be one filled with risk, the establishment of healthy behaviors in adolescence can set positive patterns that carry forward into adulthood.

Local Health Department in Action: Teen Videofest

The Tarrant County Public Health Department in Fort Worth, Texas won a NACCHO Model Practice Award for thier innovative Teen Videofest Program. The program challenges teens to speak out on aspects of teen health that directly affect them and their peers by creating videos with effective health promotion messages. The videos reach a broad audience of youth and adults through venues such as health fairs, health education events in schools and the community, on cable and closed circuit TV, at special events, and other video festivals.

To learn more about this program, visit the Tarrant County Web site www.tarrantcounty.com/ehealth/cwp/view.asp?A=763&Q=458426

Or, visit the program page in the NACCHO Model Practices Database at http://archive.naccho.org/modelPractices/Result.asp?PracticeID=45

Emerging Issues in MCH Series: Update on Adolescent Health and Disparities

Thursday, August 23, 2007 3:00 PM- 4:30 PM (ET)

NACCHO and CityMatCH present the fifth year of the Emerging Issues in Maternal and Child Health Series. These presentations highlight research, information, and collaborative efforts on a variety of MCH topics. Guest speakers from national, state, and local health departments discuss their experiences and share information on programs related to the featured topic.

August's presentation will feature an Update on Adolescent Health and Disparities.

For additional information, please visit www.naccho.org/topics/hpdp/mch/emch.cfm

On Their Turf: Creative Approaches to Supporting Teens and Young Families November 14-17, 2007 Hyatt Regency Baltimore

This year's Healthy Teen Network Conference will attract more that 600 professionals who work on behalf of adolescents and their children to reduce teen pregnancy, promote beneficial decisions regarding sexuality and reproductive issues, ensure healthy pregnancies and support teen parents to raise healthy children.

This year's workshops are organized into four tracks: Research/Evaluation, Organization/Coalition Capacity Building, Programs, and Policy/Advocacy.

Within these focus areas, workshops will be classified according to the following topics: Issues Affecting Pregnancy; Prevention/Sexuality Education Young Families (Teen Families and their Children); Family Involvement & Engagement; Male Involvement; Interpersonal Violence; and Issues Affecting Science Based Practice & Policy.

For additional information, visit

http://healthyteenconference.org/generalinfo.aspx

National Initiative to Improve Adolescent

Health by the Year 2010 (NIIAH 2010)

In the interest of promoting adolescent health, a group of experts convened to examine Healthy People 2010, focusing on the health issues impacting adolescents. The process resulted in the identification of 21 Critical Health Objectives representing the most pressing health and safety issues effecting adolescents and young adults. In response to the designation of these critical health issues, the National Initiative to Improve Adolescent Health by the Year 2010 (NIIAH 2010) was created to address these objectives. Launched as a partnership between the Centers of Disease Control's Division of Adolescent Health and the Health Services and Resources Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Office of Adolescent Health, NIIAH is a collaborative effort involving a number of partner organizations dedicated to improving the health of adolescents.

For more information on the NIIAH 2010, visit www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/AdolescentHealth/NationalInitiative/index.htm.

Excerpts from NACCHO Public Health Dispatch

MCH- Related Tools and Resources

Dispatch

This monthly newsletter sent to all active NACCHO members contains brief updates, events, resources, job postings, funding opportunities, member highlights, and other information of relevance to LHDs. Regular sections include family health, reproductive health, environmental health, emergency preparedness, mental health, and immunizations among others.

For a free download of past issues, visit http://www.naccho.org/pubs/category.cfm?Category_ID=8

NACCHO is the national organization representing local health departments. NACCHO works to support efforts that protect and improve the health of all people and all communities by promoting national policy, developing resources and programs, seeking health equity and supporting effective local public health practice and systems.

For additional information about NACCHO, visit www.naccho.org

1. CDC, HRSA and National Adolescent Health Information Center, University of California, San Francisco. (2004). Improving the Health of Adolescents & Young Adults: A Guide for States and Communities.

2. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. (2002). Community Programs to Promote Youth Development. Washington, DC Institute of Medicine: National Academy Press.