Adolescent Health - Application Year

Illinois’ priorities for the Adolescent Health Domain are:

• Assure access to a system of care that is youth-friendly and youth-responsive to assist adolescents in learning and adopting healthy behaviors. (Priority #5)

During FY22, IL Title V will utilize the following strategies to address Priority #5 - Assure access to a system of care that is youth-friendly and youth-responsive to assist adolescents in learning and adopting healthy behaviors:

1. Facilitate the Illinois Adolescent Health Program (AHP) to increase adolescents’ access to preventive and primary care through adolescent-friendly clinics that provide comprehensive well-care visits, address behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of health.

The Adolescent Health Initiative was first funded in FY19 and provided grants to 12 entities, including local health departments and organizations to support the local implementation of strategies and to support to increase the percentage of adolescents who received preventive and primary health care. The Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will continue to develop and offer training and support for health care providers to expand adolescent‐friendly health care services. Methods used by local organizations span from providing more youth friendly waiting areas, social media campaigns, conducting youth focus groups, to various modes of outreach and education.

In FY22, IL Title V will continue to implement the Adolescent Health Program (AHP) grant and hopes to expand its reach to organizations that have not previously participated in the program. The FY22 version of the program requires participating organization to include activities that identify and address adolescent mental health needs through the implementation of educational programs for students, parents, and/or school personnel, referral systems and/or other supports as needed for the target population. Recognizing that addressing adolescent health cannot be accomplished in a vacuum, the program is requiring participating organizations to develop partnerships with key stakeholders, such as other Title V agencies, local health departments, FQHCs, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations to improve adolescent health and well-being.

2. Collaborate with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to encourage providers to adopt lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ), and adolescent-friendly services and spaces.

During FY22, ICAAP will continue to develop and to share educational content and useful tools for increasing well-visits via social media to their membership and to the grantees of the Adolescent Health Initiative. In addition, ICAAP will continue to host and to facilitate the learning collaborative for the Adolescent Health Initiative grantees. It is expected that the content and tools will include an emphasis on adopting LGBTQ adolescent-friendly services. 

3. Participate on and collaborate with the statewide Adolescent Suicide Ad Hoc Committee to develop a strategic plan to reduce suicide ideation and behavior among youth.

During FY22, IL Title V staff will continue to participate on and collaborate with the statewide Adolescent Suicide Ad Hoc Committee to develop a strategic plan to reduce suicide ideation and behavior among Illinois youth.

IL Title V funds will support a graduate intern position within the IDPH Injury and Violence Prevention (IVPP) Program to facilitate adolescent suicide prevention activities. Activities are guided by Title V and IVPP staff, in collaboration with the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance Adolescent Suicide Prevention Ad Hoc Committee. 

Additionally, IL Title V will continue to require school-based health centers to increase alignment in suicide prevention and response between schools and school-based health centers through collaboration on suicide protocol development. Centers will report the status of affiliated schools’ suicide protocols (adopted protocol, draft, none); engage with school administration and staff to develop new protocols or adapt an existing protocol to specifically mention school health staff, resources, and the involvement of the school-based health center within protocol; identify appropriate professionals who should be trained in identifying and responding to persons at risk of suicide; identify evidence-based training and tools and develop training plans and schedules; provide training to appropriate professionals in identifying and responding to persons at risk of suicide; and adapt training plans and schedules as needed to incorporate additional staff or activities

4. Identify gaps in mental health programs and resources for children, develop partnerships with and within organizations focused on improving mental health among children and adolescents, and support the implementation of mental wellness programs that facilitate system level improvements as well as address social determinants of health. (Same as strategy 4-D)

This is the same as strategy 4-D. Information about this activity is available in the narrative for the Child Health Domain.

5. Certify and support school-based and school-linked health centers to expand access to primary health care, mental health, and oral health services for children and adolescents. (Same as strategy 4-E)

This is the same as strategy 4-E. Information about this activity is available in the narrative for the Child Health Domain.

6. Increase awareness among health providers, families, communities, and state systems about the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and toxic stress on children and adolescents’ mental and physical health throughout their life course. (Same as strategy 4-F)

This is the same as strategy 4-F. Information about this activity is available in the narrative for the Child Health Domain.

7. Support the implementation of the Chicago Healthy Adolescents and Teens (CHAT) program to improve sexual health education, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) screening, and linkage to health care services.

During FY22, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) will continue to receive funding to implement the Chicago Healthy Adolescents & Teens (CHAT) Program to improve access to and coordination of school health services, linkage to medical homes, and access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Other activities include implementing the condom availability project in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and supporting the development and implementation of the Illinois Contraceptive Access Now (ICAN!) patient education campaign in partnership with CPS.