SBHA Mental Health Blog: Crisis Intervention Trainings for Youth at SBHCs Can Address Mental Health Crisis

By Lauren Metcalf , SBHA Youth Advisory Council member The following reflects Lauren’s lived experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Nearly a third of youth struggled with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This has only increased conversations about the youth mental health crisis. As a teen, hearing … Read more

Inspiring Change: The 2023 ‘Be the Change’ Youth Training Program

The 2023 ‘Be the Change’ Youth Training Program in Washington, D.C., engaged youth from across the country with a passion for school-based health care and community leadership. Youth attended plenaries and workshops and participated in activities to better understand various health-related topics. Topics ranged from vaping and sexual education to peer education and quality improvement … Read more

“Short on community health workers, a county trains teens as youth ambassadors”

The following is an article featured on NPR’s Health News. “Of all the things she could have done on her summer vacation, Bithaniya Fieseha, a senior at West Springfield High School in Fairfax County, Va., decided to study chronic disease, mental health and contact tracing. Some of her friends didn’t understand the appeal.  ‘I feel … Read more

Our YAC and SBHC Awareness Month

For SBHC Awareness Month, our Youth Advisory Council created one pagers to report on advocacy activities in their states. Council members shared information on current legislation, their state affiliates, and ideas on how to spread awareness about school-based health centers. Check them out below!

Caring For Your Mental Health As A Young Person

By Jordi Alftine , SBHA Youth Advisory Council member The following reflects Jordi’s lived experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Mental health is crucial to overall well-being, particularly for teenagers and young adults. Unfortunately, mental health issues are increasingly prevalent in this age group, affecting individuals across the globe. The teenage and young adult years are complicated … Read more

Future SBHC Employee? My Experiences as a YAC Member Shaping my Career Goals

By: Chris Oshana, former Youth Advisory Council Member Chris Oshana is a senior at the University of Michigan studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, with a minor in Social Class and Inequality Studies. He hopes to inspire other youth to advocate for themselves in all aspects of their lives. For the past three and a half years of … Read more

Reflections on my YAC Experience

By Chris Oshana, former Youth Advisory Council Member When I reflect on my time with the School-Based Health Alliance Youth Advisory Council, I think of my immense growth as a person, advocate, and life-long learner. I joined the council at the beginning of my first year of college. I had to navigate a whole new … Read more

Navigating Your Health: A Young Adult’s Guide To Annual Healthcare

By Audrey Gabriel, SBHA Youth Advisory Council member  Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s proven difficult for most people to keep up with their annual appointments. Whether it’s making it into your primary care physician’s office for a yearly check-up or scheduling an appointment with a specialist, finding a time to be seen … Read more

The Fight for Title IX Education 

By Lauren Metcalf, SBHA Youth Advisory Council member  For nearly 50 years, Title IX has protected against sex-based discrimination in public education and other federally funded programs.1 Title IX works to prevent sex-based discrimination by protecting people from dating violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sex-based discrimination in athletics, and, lastly, pregnancy and parenting discrimination.1 Although … Read more

My 2022 ‘Be the Change’ Reflection

by Lane Shaffer, Youth Organizer, Multnomah Youth Commission My name is Lane Shaffer and I’m a youth organizer from Portland, OR. I’m super invested in equitable transit access and ensuring people have the means to self-advocate through things like testimony and political organizing. I recently presented at the ‘Be The Change’ Youth Training Program and … Read more