Greetings from the HYD-PRC!
Greetings and welcome to the September 2020 issue of the HYD-PRC e-newsletter.
As fall arrives, and young people head back to school – whether that be in-person, online, or a hybrid of the two approaches – we continue to innovate in the ways we work, learn, and function, and carry on with measures to keep ourselves and our communities safe during this pandemic.
In this newsletter, we explore recent research, research translation, and leadership by our HYD-PRC faculty and staff. We highlight a statewide report on strengthening Minnesota’s ecosystem to eliminate health disparities within our communities; research on primary care clinicians’ approaches to increase parental engagement around adolescent health; and a new, self-paced, online training aimed providing professional development to teachers and school staff who work with adolescents. We also reflect on the 2020 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health, which was delivered online. Please read on to learn more about happenings within our center, as well as to discover resources related to adolescent health.
I wish each one of you the very best in living out your commitments to young people during this extraordinary time.
Renee Sieving
Director, Healthy Youth Development - Prevention Research Center
If you have comments or questions about any of the features of this newsletter, we’d love to hear from you!
PRC Staff Partner on Health Disparities Report Released by MDH's Center for Health Equity
The year 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (EHDI) grant program at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The Center for Health Equity (CHE) and EHDI grantees “have been reflecting on our state’s investment in these grants and its impact over the years. We have also been thinking about what future investments are needed in order to strengthen Minnesota’s ecosystem to advance health equity for all. Out of this reflecting, analyzing, and visioning came this report: Cultivating a Health Equity Ecosystem: Lessons Learned from the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative.”
Finding A Complementary Balance: Adolescent Confidentiality and Parent Engagement
Two key aspects of adolescent healthcare seem contradictory at face value: Adolescent confidentiality and parent engagement. Quality adolescent preventive care includes the availability of confidential services and an opportunity for adolescents to discuss health topics alone with their provider. At the same time, parents play a very important role in the health and development of their children, even in adolescence. While balancing these two aspects can be tricky, confidentiality and parent engagement are actually complementary.
Creating Virtual Connections: Whole Learners© Expands Reach
Understanding the increasing demands of both professional and personal responsibilities even before COVID drastically changed the way we live and work, Whole Learners© co-developer, Abi Gadea made the decision to move the program to an online, self-paced platform. A comprehensive teacher professional development program, Whole Learners© aims to bring tailored developmental and relational approaches to school staff to improve connections and engagement with all students.
Shifting to Virtual Learning: 2020 Adolescent Health Summer Institute Moves Online
Due to COVID-19, many of us are working, learning, and caring for others from home. For a sizable number of adolescents, these shifts have resulted in substantial mental health challenges. When the 2020 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health topic was selected in late 2019, “Adolescent Mental Health: Identifying Influences and Promoting Well-Being”, we had no idea how timely this topic would be during the summer of 2020.
PRC Faculty & Staff Highlights
- McMorris Awarded Excellence in Postdoctoral Advising Award
- Oliphant Obtains "Mental Health First Aid for Youth" Certificate
- PRC Evaluation Team Supports Program Educating Incarcerated Youth and Young Adults about Responsibilities of Parenthood
- Shlafer Receives Grant Focusing on Parental Incarceration and Homelessness