Other Youth Topics

Healthcare TAG Resources

Make Healthcare Offices Friendly and Welcoming

  • Starter Guide: Youth-Friendly Services - PDF 
    The following strategies and resources can inform policies, practices, and environments in becoming more youth-friendly. (University of Michigan Health System Adolescent Health Initiative) 
  • Health Experts, Meet Teen Experts 
    This teen-created video focuses on how to improve healthcare treatment for adolescents. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
  • Youth-Led Health Center Assessment Tool - PDF 
    This tool is designed to engage youth in evaluating health centers by encouraging them to reflect on a health center's services and environment. (University of Michigan Health System Adolescent Health Initiative)

Ask Hard Questions and Use Risk-Screening Tools

  • Recommended Clinical Preventive Services for Adolescents
    This web section describes the clinical preventive services that adolescents should receive from a healthcare provider, including screening assessments. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)
  • Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Guide for Youth: A Practitioner's Guide
    This intervention guide is designed to help healthcare professionals quickly identify youth at risk for alcohol-related problems. (HHS, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Screening Tools
    This web section compiles resources, sample screening forms, and other tools for healthcare providers to use. (HHS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Health Resources and Services Administration)
  • Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit 
    This tool and resource kit was developed, reviewed, and piloted by multidisciplinary teams of pediatric health professionals. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
  • Screening and Assessment Tools for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
    This list will help youth-serving professionals find screening and assessment tools to evaluate youth’s individual strengths and needs, as well as to guide what types of interventions and services each young person needs. (HHS, Administration for Children and Families)

Make Preventive Services a Priority

  • Tools for Working With Practices to Improve Preventive Care Using Bright Futures 
    Materials to facilitate training and implementation of the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition, at the practice system level. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
  • Adolescent Health Services: Missing Opportunities 
    The free, downloadable book provides guidance to administrators in public and private healthcare agencies, healthcare workers, guidance counselors, parents, school administrators, and policy makers on investing in, strengthening, and improving an integrated health system for adolescents. (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine)
  • Adolescent Health Screening and Counseling 
    Health screening and counseling recommendations for healthcare practitioners. (American Academy of Family Physicians)

Maintain Referral Sources for Youth with Chronic Conditions, Special Needs, and Mental Health Issues

  • Health Services Locator
    HHS Locators can help you access information for children and teens on healthcare, youth services and health insurance. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)
  • Health Care Transition Resources 
    A library of online resources for health professionals, youth, and families in support of successful healthcare transitions. (Got Transition)
  • Care Coordination
    A broad overview of resources on care coordination, bringing together various providers and information systems to coordinate health services, patient needs, and information to help better achieve the goals of treatment and care. (HHS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Health Resources and Services Administration)

Improve and Update Training on Adolescent Health

  • Adolescent and Young Adult Clinical Care Resources by Topic 
    Compilations to provide guidance and resources to healthcare providers and youth-serving professionals, including clinical care guidelines and resources. (Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine) 
  • Online Learning Modules
    A set of online training and webinars for youth-serving professionals that offers a systemic approach to assessing knowledge and skills, combined with research summaries on a range of topics. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)
  • Leadership Education in Adolescent Health Training
    Prepares professionals from a variety of healthcare disciplines to be leaders in clinical care, research, public health policy, and advocacy as it relates to adolescent health. (Leadership Education in Adolescent Health)

Facilitate Smooth Transitions From Adolescent to Adult Healthcare Settings

Be a Leader in Building Partnerships In the Community and with Others Who Serve Youth

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Youth Briefs

Disabled Girl With Her Teacher
How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities

Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Mak
Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference

Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

Trained Professional and youth
How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues

Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Happy Family
Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions

Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Teen in a class room
Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs

Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth

Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

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