National Adolescent Health Month™
National Adolescent Health Month (NAHM) is an annual observance in May that is hosted by the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA). Adolescent health encompasses overall well-being for young people to make empowering decisions to live healthy lives.
National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™) is a health observance hosted by the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) each year in May. Since 2022, this annual observance has emphasized the importance of building on young people’s strengths and potential, encouraging meaningful youth engagement in adolescent health activities, and highlighting key topics in adolescent health.
OPA recognizes that investing in adolescent health and well-being will generate a “triple benefit” for society: health for young people today, a healthy adult life, and better health for the next generation. During NAHM and all year long, we must connect youth to services and opportunities that build on their strengths and potential.
Adolescent health involves many aspects of health and well-being, including sexual and reproductive health, mental health, community support, and the role of caring adults.
NAHM at NCSD
Adolescent health encompasses overall well-being for young people to make empowering decisions to live healthy lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) funds NCSD’s adolescent health team to implement the What Works in Schools program by providing technical assistance and capacity building to state leaders in education and health agencies through the Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion (LEAHP) project.
Throughout the month of May, NCSD will be sharing resources and tools related to each week’s NAHM theme. These resources are designed for anyone working with youth in any capacity, including providers, school staff and leaders, school-based health centers, health departments, and community organizations. Feel free to bookmark these tools for future reference! To learn more about NCSD’s adolescent health work, check out our webpage.
NAHM 2023
There’s a different theme for each week of 2023’s National Adolescent Health Month:
- Expand sexual & reproductive health information and services
- Promote self-care to support mental health
- Celebrate ways that communities support health
- Equip adults to support adolescent health
Support Doesn't End After May!
Next steps to take to continue supporting adolescent health:
✔ Learn more about The Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion (LEAHP) and begin assembling your own multi-sector state team to support your state’s adolescent sexual health programming.
✔ Enroll in LEAHP’s free self-paced virtual course to enhance your learning of best practices to support adolescent sexual health. More information coming soon!
✔ Connect with NCSD’s policy team to learn more about navigating adolescent health focused policies and trends in your state.
✔ Engage with your local community partners (parent organizations, LGBTQ+ coalitions, substance use/mental health agencies, statewide coalitions, etc.)
✔ Join NCSD’s next Day of Action to inform Members of Congress on what is happening in your district and state, and the need to support adequate program funding. Be on the lookout later this year for more information!
✔ Reach out to NCSD’s adolescent health team for collaborative projects, technical assistance support, and guidance on inclusive services for young people in your jurisdictions.
Week 1
Week 1: Expand Sexual & Reproductive Health Information & Services
Access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and services are key to empowering young people to live healthy lives. These include STI and HIV testing and treatment, contraceptives, and connecting young people to the services that they need.
NCSD/LEAHP Resources:
Telemedicine:
Toolkit: Adolescent Sexual Health Telemedicine Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Webinar Series:
- Part 1: Delivering Adolescent Sexual Health Services During COVID-19
- Part 2: Adolescent Sexual Healthcare During COVID-19: Why Use Telemedicine in a ‘Post-Pandemic’ World?
Referral Services:
Toolkit: Developing a Referral System for Sexual Health Services, 2023
- Webinar Series (coming soon!): Developing a Referral System for Adolescent Sexual Health Services
Partner Resources:
- 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- CDC DASH: What Works in Schools – Sexual Health Services
- CDC DASH: What Works in Schools – Quality Health Education
- National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Sexual Health Toolkit
- Integrating PrEP Into Primary Care for Adolescents
- Utilizing Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) to Support Pennsylvania Youth’s Sexual Health
- Reducing STIs Through Equitable Chlamydia Screenings in Pediatric Settings
Week 2
Week 2: Promote Self-Care to Support Mental Health
Worsening mental health outcomes have recently been highlighted among young people. Encouraging them to prioritize care for themselves and providing them with the tools and resources to do so is one of the ways we can work to address this crisis. NCSD is proud to share these resources (with young people in mind) in honor of Mental Health Awareness month.
NCSD/LEAHP Resources:
- Addressing Discrimination and Stigma in Youth Suicide Prevention Webinar Recording
- NCSD Policy Statement: School health data shows need to increase adolescent health protections
- NCSD celebrates National Adolescent Health Month
Partner Resources:
- 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People
- Adolescent Connectedness and Adult Health Outcomes
- Supporting the Mental Health of Teen Girls and LGBTQ+ Youth in 200 Words
- Providing Mental Health Care for Youth with Non-Binary Gender Identities
- Restoring Teen Well-Being Guide
- The Surgeon General’s New Mission: Adolescent Mental Health
- Building and Sustaining Programs for School-based Behavioral Health Services in K-12 Schools
- Supporting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Youth Following COVID-19’s Impact
- Qs to Probe and Identify Needs of Students
- Mental Health America: Toolkit and Resources
Week 3
Week 3: Celebrate Ways Communities Support Youth
Programs that involve and engage youth are vital to improving adolescent health. Schools and communities can work to provide safe spaces where young people feel supported, heard, and empowered in order to promote positive health outcomes. NCSD observes Sex Ed 4 All Month, powered by SIECUS and national partners, to call on all public and elected officials to advocate for and invest in high-quality, sex education legislation that meets the full needs of young people.
NCSD/LEAHP Resources:
Partner Resources:
- #SexEdForAllMonth Toolkit
- CDC DASH: What Works in Schools – Safe and Supportive Environments
- Centering Youth in Supporting Access to Comprehensive Reproductive and Sexual Health Services Webinar Recording
- Engaging Youth in Education Policymaking Policy Brief
- School Connectedness and Risk Behaviors and Experiences Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021
- Bridging the Gap: How Caseworkers and Caregivers Can Support the Sexual & Reproductive Health of System Involved Youth
- Beyond Sexual & Reproductive Health: Linking Young People to Mental Health Resources
- Elevate Youth Programming Podcast
Week 4
Week 4: Equip Adults to Support Adolescent Health
Adults who support adolescent health serve imperative roles in creating programmatic and policy change. Through LEAHP, NCSD continues to provide capacity building assistance and subject matter expertise to state leaders, community partners and policymakers to advance adolescent health policies and practices. Our Adolescent Sexual Health team also put together the Adolescent Health Resource Compendium.
NCSD/LEAHP Resources:
- State Policy 101: Getting the Basics Down to Advance Adolescent Health Webinar Recording
- Resources on Minor Consent for STI Services
- Ensuring Health Equity in Adolescent Sexual Health Education
- NCSD celebrates National Adolescent Health Month
Partner Resources:
- How Youth Development Professionals Might Want to Address “Parent Rights”
- Changing the Course on Rising Teen STI Rates Webinar Recording
- Supporting Youth Safety and Wellness in Sex Ed
- Centering Racial Justice in Sex Education: Strategies for Engaging Professionals and Young People
- Promoting Equity and Reducing Health Disparities Among Racially/Ethnically
- Diverse Adolescents: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
- Fostering Youth-Adult Partnerships
- Lessons Learned in School-Based Health Center Adolescent Relationship Abuse Prevention Webinar Recording
- Substance Use and Sexual Risk-Taking: Connecting the Dots for Adolescent Health Professionals
- Sex Education Professional Learning Series
- Observe How They Serve: Evaluating Youth-led Assessment Tools Webinar Recording
- Strengths-Based Approaches to Adolescent Sexual Health and Being an Askable Adult Webinar Recording
Be on the lookout for the following resources coming soon!
- Online Training: Linking Adolescent Sexual Health Services to Outbreak Response (CHES credits will be offered!)
- Webinar Series: Developing a Referral System for Adolescent Sexual Health Services
- Podcast Episode: Ensuring Health Equity in Adolescent Sexual Health Education
To learn more about the adolescent health work at NCSD, visit our website. For questions around any of these resources, email us at adolescenthealth@ncsddc.org.
