Get Healthy Carson City: Helping teens reach their full potential

May is National Adolescent Health Month. This month celebrates the declining rates of teen pregnancy and births in the United States. This month also highlights the importance of teens reaching their full potential. It is about providing youth with opportunities for healthy and successful growth. Opportunity can be encouraged in four themes this month.

• Empowering youth with sexual and reproductive health information and services

The Adolescent Health program at Carson City Health and Human Services offers reproductive health education for teens. The interactive courses are designed to help youth make healthy choices and avoid obstacles to achieving goals. Both classes include information about:

Changes to the body during puberty

The facts about sexually transmitted infections and HIV

Pregnancy

Skills for handling peer pressure

Communication and negotiation skills

Healthy relationships.

One course on June 7, 9, 14, 16 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is for youth 10-13 years of age. It does not include information on condoms or birth control.

The other course on June 8, 10, 15, 17 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is for youth 13-15 years of age. It does include information about condom use and birth control.

For information or to register for June classes, call 775-283-7529 or email vchandler@carson.org. Lunch will be provided each day and youth completing each course will receive a gift card.

• Supporting youth mental health and well-being

Certain factors are important to maintain youth mental health. Protective factors include:

Supportive family relationships with clear expectations, encouragement, and limits

Adult mentors in the community

Connections with peers, athletics, employment, religion, or culture

Involvement in school and community activities

Youth identified goals and dreams

It is normal for adolescents to experience emotional distress as they develop and mature. Teens experiencing short periods of anxiety about school is common. Adults can watch for signs like a fall in school performance, regular refusal to go to school or take part in activities, frequent physical complaints, and/or marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits. If these signs persist, it may be time to seek professional assistance. School nurses as well as a healthcare providers can be a resource for finding mental health services. Nevada 2-1-1 is also an online resource for Nevada and can be found at https://www.nevada211.org/mental-health-services/

• Encouraging physical health and healthy decision making

It is recommended that teens get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Physical activity improves learning and development. Inviting a friend to join in can help with maintaining regular physical activity. Parents, school staff, and community members can get involved to increase opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after the school day.

Teens make decisions every day. Some are simple and others are life changing. Often, teens are not given the skills to navigate healthy decisions. Parents, guardians, grandparents, and adult members of the community can help teens by:

Actively listening to the problem or issue

Restating the problem for clear understanding

Brainstorming solutions

Listing out short-term pros and cons to the decision

Listing out long-term pros and cons to the decision

Assisting the teen in creating a plan of action

• Sustain accessible youth friendly services throughout our community

CCHHS’ Title X program can help teens afford and access a yearly medical check-up as well as birth control. Accessible youth-friendly services also include health screening for things like high blood pressure, diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, depression, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Same day or next day appointments can be made by calling 775-887-2195.

For resources and information about Carson City Health and Human Services programs and services, go to www.gethealthycarsoncity.org, follow us on Twitter @CCHealthEd, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cchhs, follow us Instagram @gethealthycarsoncity, call us at 775-887-2190, or visit us at 900 E. Long St., in Carson City.