skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Connecting More Oregon Teens with Health Care

play audio
Play

Tuesday, August 11, 2015   

MEDFORD, Ore. – One of Oregon's state health priorities is getting more teens the regular preventive care that will help establish healthy habits in adulthood. But adolescents are busy, and some have to be convinced that it's OK to talk with an adult about their concerns.

As a group, teens may often seem carefree, but Dr. Matt Hough with Jackson Care Connect in Medford says there are plenty of big issues in their lives, from depression and anxiety, to drug and alcohol use and premarital sex. Hough says the doctor's office should be a safe place to talk.

"It's really about figuring out where they are and how we can support them," he says. "Teens engage in risky behavior, no matter what parents think, and so it's really an opportunity for another adult to get in there and talk to them in a supportive way to kind of get them on the right track."

A year ago, Jackson Care Connect started giving teenaged patients a questionnaire to fill out as a conversation-starter about tough issues. Hough says he's been surprised and pleased at how many kids are candid about their concerns, and he notes teens also have rights in terms of doctors keeping their information confidential.

At the Yamhill Community Care Organization in McMinnville, one approach that's working to get kids into clinics is "Teen Swag Night" – evening appointments in an "open house" atmosphere, with games and giveaways provided by local merchants.

Whether it's an immunization or a sports physical, Dr. Jackie Eriksen says it's a chance to catch up on their checkups – and their friends.

"In our community, we saw 137 kids that night," she says. "They said it was really fun because there were other teens there; it was a nice environment. We also tried to make it kind of a fun night, so they could see the clinic in a little different light."

The Oregon Health Authority has made outreach to teens one of the quality measures it uses to assess how well Coordinated Care Organizations are meeting the needs of Oregon Health Plan or Medicaid patients.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

Menhaden are forage fish species and filter feeders, each capable of filtering up to seven gallons of water per minute. (Photo of female Osprey with Menhaden/TRCP)

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Environment

play sound

By Claire Elise Thompson for Grist.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for New Hampshire News Connection reporting for the Grist-Public News Service C…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021