Agenda - 02-01-1993 - III-B - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 OUTREACH PLAN In 1981 the UNC Department of Pediatrics developed a service project in Northern Orange County called Adolescents-in-Need. Links were established with the Orange County School System, the Orange County Health Department, Department of Social Services, Juvenile Court, Mental Health Center and church community that have proven to be essential in establishing preventive programs for adolescents. The program utilizes a nurse practitioner/social worker team based in the school system to meet with adolescents considered to be at high risk, including pregnant teens, parenting teens, teens at risk of becoming pregnant, depressed teens, teens not attending school regularly, and teens in need of mental health counseling. Counseling, guidance, referral and family home visits were provided to reduce the risk of untimely pregnancies, reduce the risk of dropping out of school, teach the teens to access the service delivery system and increase their self esteem. Referral networks were developed and the needs of adolescents, in terms of service delivery, became a goal of the entire county. Adolescents completed their education, pregnancy rates dropped, adolescent fathers were involved in their child's birth and resources such as scholarships for day care and day care services were developed. Major conclusions of the program were that a broader range of health care services was needed to address the medical, social and behavioral needs of adolescents in Orange County. Services were needed that focused on prevention and behavioral counseling with extension of services to the early adolescent age group. Further recommendation was that adolescents should be able to go to one location for evaluation and subsequent referral, as needed. In 1988, a program of primary health care services for adolescents was developed in Northern Orange County, at the OCHD, as a supplement to the existing Adolescents-in-Need Project. Through county funding, an Adolescent Clinic, located in the OCHD, is staffed by a physician and nurse one half day per week. Transportation is offered from school to clinic and the providers see 8-10 students per clinic day. Adolescents present with complaints ranging from acne to orthopedic problems to sexuality issues. On arrival to the clinic, adolescents fill out a screening form that helps them define how they are feeling (physically and emotionally) and facilitates recognition of stressors in their lives. This information is then used by providers to discuss issues relevant to the individual adolescent and make referrals back to local agencies to meet the unmet needs. The clinic staff consists of a medical provider from the Adolescents-in-Need Project and a school nurse employed by the Health Department. This creates a loop from school to clinic to Adolescents in Need Project (to home if necessary) and back to the school. This insures a flow of information between school, clinic and home. The Teen Clinic/Adolescents-in-Need concept currently reaches youth with information about services through the school nurse employed by the local health department, the school nurse employed by the school system, guidance counselors from the middle schools and the high school, coaches at these three schools,juvenile court counselors, mental health providers, health department staff, and peer helpers at the high school. The referral process flows from clinic to project and project to clinic. Thus students can receive information about the health and counseling services from any number of entry points. For the expansion concept in Southern Orange County we propose contacts with the helping agencies in that area. The steering committee will consist of representatives from the major agencies such as DSS, Mental Health, Public Health, Housing, local medical providers, schools, court counselors, etc. These members will advocate for clinic use and make referrals to the clinic on a regular basis through their agencies. The Chapel Hill/Carrboro School System has a number of parent and student organizations that will provide a unique opportunity to spread the word about the clinic. The School Health Advisory Board, made up of parents, professionals and