Adolescent Health Initiatives
Working to Provide Comprehensive Care to Adolescent Patients & Their Families
Our Adolescent Health Education Initiative focuses on the development of educational tools, resources and outreach materials for providers that see adolescents throughout Illinois. With these physical, emotional and social developmental resources, we hope to aid clinics and practices increase their overall adolescent well-visits and help adolescents and their families access quality adolescent-friendly care.
Explore Our Support Resources
2024 Adolescent Health Virtual Mini-Conference
May 17, 2024 from 8:00am to 12:00pm CST
ICAAP invites pediatricians, family physicians, and allied health professionals to join us for an engaging half-day conference on delivering quality adolescent-centered healthcare. We will delve into best practices, trends in adolescent health and more. This event offers 3.75 free CME/CE credits and is open to members and non-members!
| Time | Presentation | Speakers |
| 8:00 | Best Practices for Adolescent Care & Patient Confidentiality | Maria Rahmandar, MD, FAAP - Lurie Children's Hospital, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
| 9:30 | Empowering Adolescent Patients to Take Ownership of their Health and Healthcare | Felicia Scott-Wellington, MD - UI Health, Department of Pediatrics |
| 10:45 | Supporting the Transition from Pediatric to Adult Healthcare | Parag Shah, MD, MS - Lurie Children's Hospital; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
AAP's Bright Futures
Prevention and Health Promotion for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Their Families
Bright Futures is a national health promotion and prevention initiative led by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Bright Futures Guidelines provide theory-based and evidence-driven guidance for all preventive care screenings and well-child visits. Explore Bright Future resources to address behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of health below:
Bright Futures Website for Health Professionals
Explore innovative content designed to optimize public health programs like home visiting, childcare, school-based health clinics, and many others. Materials developed especially for families are also available.
Bright Futures Social Media Toolkit
ICAAP has created social media graphics for health professionals to promote Bright Futures resources and tools.
Resources for Families Developed by Bright Futures
As parents and guardians, you play a special role in the healthy development and growth of your adolescent children. For additional support and guidance, explore these helpful resources that tackle topics like:
What to Expect at Well-Visits | Milestones in Growth | Family Support & Well-being
2023 Adolescent Health Webinars
Stay up-to-date on the latest information related to adolescent health topics (ex. mental health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), emotional well-being, tobacco and substance use, violence and injury prevention, sexual health and healthy relationships, and physical health and health promotion). Receive information to also help increase adolescent well-care visits at your practice and explore practical tools for providing adolescent-friendly care.
Adolescent Mental Health and Collaborative Care
Increasing Access to Psychiatric Services in Academic Pediatric Primary Care Clinics: Two Education Driven Collaborative Care Models
Jeanne Greenblatt, MD, MPH
Ann & Robert H. Laurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
January 27, 2023
Health Equity & the Impact of Race and Racism
Define & explain the concept of health equity, discuss how racism prevents health equity, how to center health equity in pediatrics and adolescent health
Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MSc, FAAP
March 24, 2023
2022 Adolescent Health Webinars
The Mental Health of Adolescents: During COVID-19 and Beyond
January 27, 2022
The Value of Nutrition and Healthy Habits During Adolescence
February 25, 2022
Health Equity and the Impact of Race and Racism in Adolescent Care
March 25, 2022
Adolescent Health Toolkit & Resources
For providers and their patients & families
Adolescent Health Toolkit
ICAAP developed this two-part toolkit for pediatric providers, adolescents, and parents/caregivers to support adolescent-friendly well-visits. This toolkit includes tools and resources on adolescent health issues, health equity, the impact of COVID-19, and implementation strategies to empower youth to take control of their health care.
Positive Youth Development
Positive youth development (PYD) is not a specific curriculum but a model that can be used to enhance any youth-serving program. Youth-serving professionals should follow eight key practices to effectively incorporate PYD into their programs.
The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know
Explore key information about the important changes happing in the brain during adolescence.
Children & Mental Health Fact Sheet
How can you tell the difference between challenging behaviors and emotions that are a normal part of growing up and those that are cause for concern? In general, consider seeking help if your child’s behavior persists for a few weeks or longer; causes distress for your child or your family; or interferes with your child’s functioning at school, at home, or with friends.
Confidentiality Resources
Online confidentiality resources for adolescents, young adults, and parents.
AAP Clinical Report: Suicide and Suicide Risk in Adolescents
Explore the Academy’s new clinical report, as published in the January 2024 edition of Pediatrics to enhance your capacity to recognize risk factors associated with suicidality in at-risk adolescents. The clinical report highlights strategies to improve screening techniques and leverage new interventions for patients with suicidal ideation and associated behaviors.
About Our Adolescent Health Initiative
ICAAP has been awarded funding to support adolescent health from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Women’s Health and Family Services (OWHFS), Maternal Child Health (MCH Title V Block Grant) for the last five years.