Provide Adults with the Resources and Tools to Support Adolescent Health

Published May 2023 National Adolescent Health Month May 2023

Provide Adults with the Tools and Resources to Support Adolescent Health

Positive connections with adults can protect youth from negative health outcomes. During the fourth week of National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™), OPA is sharing reliable information and resources that adults can use to support, advise, and care for young people.

Last week, OPA celebrated some of the successes currently happening in communities for adolescent health. Great work is being done nationwide. Still, there is more work to be done, especially to reduce disparities and ensure all adolescents thrive.

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Family members and other caring adults have important roles to play in providing support to young people. Parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, guidance counselors, school nurses, physicians, coaches, mentors, and other youth-serving professionals can model healthy relationship practices for youth as they develop emotionally throughout adolescence.

Parents, guardians and other caring adults should learn about adolescent development and continuously educate themselves about the realities of adolescent lives today. Young people’s lives are complex, can change quickly, and can present issues that did not exist (e.g., social media) or were not fully acknowledged (e.g., mental health disorders) in prior generations.

Youth-serving professionals can engage youth in their programs by hosting youth listening sessions. Programs that involve youth are proven to be more effective at engaging the population and, therefore, to have a greater impact. Parents, caregivers, and health care providers can also help adolescents learn to navigate the health care system.

Teachers, coaches, and school administrators can employ a positive youth development approach to engaging young people. By building on adolescents’ strengths and talents, communities can support youth and promote positive outcomes. Schools can provide health education, connect young people to services, and make school environments safer for learning and recreation.

Health care providers can ensure their services are accessible and culturally relevant to adolescents. Health care providers can support adolescents by creating a youth-friendly environment, providing safe and affirming health care, and promoting necessary clinical preventive services adolescents need.

The Reproductive Health National Training Center has resources for Teen Pregnancy Prevention program and Title X Family Planning program grantees to support adolescent health and youth development. OPA has resources for adults to support young people this month and all year long.

Share messages about National Adolescent Health Month

Please join us in celebrating NAHM by sharing our social media and newsletter messages during May. Don't forget to tag OPA on Twitter (@HHSPopAffairs) and use the NAHM hashtags in your posts: #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth and #HealthyYouthNAHM.

New in 2023: Please read this trademarking guidance before using the NAHM logo, name, or acronym. For assistance, please contact: opa@hhs.gov.

Tweets:

Where adolescents live, go to school, work, and play impacts their health and well-being. Caring adults need reliable information and resources to support, advise, and care for young people. https://bit.ly/3MPzokc @HHSPopAffairs #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth #HealthyYouthNAHM
Positive connections with adults can protect youth from negative health outcomes. Learn more from @HHSPopAffairs. https://bit.ly/3MPzokc #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth #HealthyYouthNAHM

Facebook/LinkedIn Post:
Communities—including teachers, coaches, mentors, and other youth-serving professionals—support young people as they develop into healthy adults. Positive connections with adults can protect youth from negative health outcomes. These connections can also assist young people as they develop and transition to young adulthood. https://bit.ly/3MPzokc

Newsletter Blurb:
Equip Adults to Support Adolescent Health
During this week of National Adolescent Health Month learn about how communities—including teachers, coaches, mentors, and other youth-serving professionals—support young people as they develop into healthy adults. Caring adults need reliable information and resources to support, advise, and care for young people.

Sample NAHM Graphics:

Week 4 Square Week 4 Twitter

National Adolescent Health Month™, NAHM™, and the NAHM logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use of these marks without prior approval by HHS is strictly prohibited.