February 2004

Adolescent Health

Adolescent Health Highlights

Staff: Laurie Emmer, LICSW
Senior Policy Associate, Adolescent Health
PIPPAH Project Manager

NASW is active in developing materials that help promote and improve the health status of adolescents. Over the past few months, the following activities have taken place:

Partnerships

• NASW is in the eighth year of the PIPPAH (Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health) partnership. The partners held their biannual meeting in October, and collaborated on the development of a PowerPoint presentation. In addition, NASW and the American Bar Association (ABA) continue to work on a joint project focusing on the collaborative efforts of social workers and attorneys in child welfare.
• NASW is also active in the Prevention Coalition, convened by the National Mental Health Association. The coalition brings organizations together to exchange information and influence polices on mental health issues. The group's main focus is analyzing the relationship between emotional disabilities and substance abuse, poverty, adolescent pregnancy, school dropout , and delinquency .
• NASW is participating in the Foster Care Month 2004 campaign. This campaign promotes foster care on a national, state, and local level, with the main focus on foster care recruitment at the local level.
• NASW has partnered with The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN) “No Name Calling Campaign.” The campaign focuses on decreasing bullying of lesbian and gay students in the school system. More information can be located at: http://www.glsen.org/templates/index.html

Conferences and Presentations

• NASW participated in several conferences, briefings and forums that addressed adolescent health, including
  • The National Center on Education and the Economy “American High School Policy Solutions” forum;
  • The Sexuality Informational and Education Council “Young People Censorship and Abstinence” briefing;
  • The Child Welfare League of America “Growing Girls for Greatness” National Girls Initiative symposium;
  • The World Federation for Mental Health Day, Symposium on Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Adolescents;
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics “Adolescent Health” networking meeting;
  • The National Education Association “Can We Talk? Parents, Bullying and Substance Abuse” open house; and
  • The American Youth Policy Forum, “Transition for Students with Disabilities.
• NASW staff presented at the bi-annual American Medical Association PIPPAH forum, addressing adolescent health issues. The forum focused on the effects of alcohol marketing on adolescents.

Publications

• The NASW Standards for Social Work with Adolescents are now available on the NASW Web site, at: http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/NASWAdolescentsStandards.pdf