|
|
|
|
Headlines of the Week
Why Teens Seeking Abortion Care Are Texting ‘Abby’
Minors in 21 states are required by law to get their parents’ permission before having an abortion. But for many, that’s not possible. Instead, they have to navigate their county’s legal system to petition for a judicial waiver of parental consent while dealing with their state’s various abortion restrictions, which might include gestational limits and forced waiting periods. The COVID-19 pandemic has put legal abortion even further out of reach for many, as Republicans in some states are trying to close abortion clinics as a response to the virus outbreak. But advocates in North Carolina have introduced a new way to help minors maneuver through reproductive healthcare restrictions. The Carolina Abortion Fund partnered with the state’s ACLU to create a text line that helps minors maneuver this confusing web of medically unnecessary restrictions and get the legal and financial assistance they need—even amid the chaos of a pandemic. The line, called Text Abby, is confidential, free, and available every day from 9 AM to 12 PM ET. Mars Earle, Director of Engagement at the Carolina Abortion Fund, told Rewire.News the line soft-launched at the beginning of April. When a young person texts the line, the first response they receive is from Elizabeth Barber, a Reproductive Freedom Fellow at the ACLU of North Carolina. Sometimes people reach out because they’re having a pregnancy scare, and Barber will refer them to online resources about when or how to take a pregnancy test. “Almost always people do not know what the requirements are for minors in whatever state they are,” she said. ( Rewire.News, 4/24/20)
Juvenile Justice Centers and Vulnerable Youth Latest Victims Of COVID-19
In recent days, media attention has focused on vulnerable populations around the country such as those in nursing homes, prisons, and in critical health. But one of the most vulnerable population—children in the government systems—have gone almost completely ignored. Although the significant deficiencies in the juvenile justice system are never something politicians want to address, the current lack of capacity and resources for meeting children’s needs has come to a head in the wake of the coronavirus. As of 2018, law enforcement agencies in the U.S. made more than 700,000 arrests of youth under age 18—that’s more than 2,000 delinquency cases per day. Despite few of these cases being related to violent crime, many youth find themselves incarcerated in the juvenile justice system, which undoubtedly causes more harm than good to their academic, social, emotional, and personal development. Further, the prevalence of mental health disorders in the juvenile justice system is more than three times that of the general youth population. In fact, 70% of youth who find themselves in the juvenile justice system have one or more diagnosable mental health or substance use disorders. And this doesn’t account for the contextual trauma of prevalent comorbidities such as poverty, victimization, post-traumatic stress, and poor education opportunities that contribute to untreated mental health issues. (Forbes, 4/24/2020)
Helping Teens Make Room for Uncomfortable Emotions
A new poll conducted by Common Sense Media and Survey Monkey shows, not surprisingly, that most adolescents are worried that the coronavirus will affect their family’s physical or financial health. Further, nearly half of the teens surveyed say that they are lonelier than usual, and they fear that they are losing ground academically or in their extracurricular activities. Many parents of teens are seeing such feelings play out at home and, in the face of all this discomfort, want to help. Their first instinct may well be to try to sweep away their teens’ worries with brooms of reassurance, coach them on how to “stay positive,” and encourage them to use this strange timeout from their regular lives to be as productive as possible. But there’s another route that might serve teens better in the long run. Help them make room for uncomfortable emotions. For Dr. Lisa Damour, a psychologist, this is a worthwhile caregiving effort. Over the past several years, she has watched a general misconception take hold about the definition of mental health. Many people have to come to assume wrongly that psychological health—like physical health—means feeling good. Psychological health, however, is not about being free from emotional discomfort, but about having the right feeling at the right time, and being able to bear the unpleasant ones. (New York Times, 4/21/2020)
How to Support Immigrants In the U.S. During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Infectious diseases and inadequate government response have a long history of disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable and marginalized communities, and COVID-19 is no exception. Six million immigrant workers are at the frontlines every day working hard to keep everyone safe, healthy, and fed during this pandemic. And yet many still don’t have access to new or existing safety nets and are being left out of relief packages from Congress. The Trump administration has even used this moment to further marginalize immigrant communities by dismantling the asylum system at the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol are still arresting and detaining immigrants, deporting family members (which can spread COVID-19 to more countries), and incarcerating adults and children in overcrowded and unsanitary detention centers. Advocates, lawyers, immigration attorneys, judges, and detainees themselves are leading the resistance by calling on the agency to stop enforcements, halt court proceedings, and release vulnerable people and all children from detention. Teen Vogue has put together this list of ways that anyone can help amplify these calls to action and support immigrant communities during COVID-19. (Teen Vogue, 4/16/2020)
Coronavirus Pandemic Exacerbates Inequalities for Women, UN Warns
A global economy in freefall, 1.52 billion students stuck at home, dramatic swells in domestic violence reports, and healthcare systems overwhelmed by a single disease all portend vicious side-effects for women during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations warns. “There is no single society where we’ve achieved equality between men and women, and so this pandemic is being layered on top of existing inequalities, and it’s exacerbating those inequalities,” Nahla Valji, the UN’s Senior Gender Adviser to the Executive Office of the Secretary General, told The Guardian. The current public health emergency will probably mean a disproportionate economic impact for women, who often work in service industries hit hard by COVID-19. They also tend to take on the bulk of unpaid family care at home, a burden that has become even more all-consuming amid physical distancing and self-isolation. And, even as women represent 70% of the global health workforce, the critical resources they need to stay well—like reproductive health services and maternal care—may fall by the wayside as the world’s hospitals go into crisis mode. That, in turn, could lead to more maternal mortalities, young pregnancies, and STDs, according to a recently published UN policy brief. (The Guardian, 4/11/2020)
|
|
This Week on Our Blog
By Ella Dorval Hall
|
|
|
|
Are you experiencing any of these thoughts? Or do you know someone who is feeling this way? COVID-19 may be making all sorts of relationships challenging, but particularly our sexual relationships. Here are 5 tips (and resources) to help with mental and sexual health during this global pandemic. Read more...
|
|
Funding & Other Opportunities
New Federal and State Funding Streams You Can Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 29, 2020
2:00 PM ET
Every week, state and federal governments are adapting their funding streams to address COVID-19, trying to stabilize and increase the essential services provided by nonprofits across the board. As corporations are being bailed out, many service providers are being left to wonder whether or not they will be able to access relief, as well as increases in funding relative to the growing need for services. New rules for existing funds and new funds are being created but these developments are rapidly changing and often difficult to track. This webinar, hosted by Point Source Youth, aims to centralize information and trends regarding federal and state funding, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for service providers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees will receive information on how to access funding, apply for it, and receive it as quickly as possible in order to ensure that services can continue and eventually grow in the wake of this crisis.
Live Q&A: What Is Congress Doing about Coronavirus?
April 30, 2020
3:00 PM ET
Join the National Women's Law Center for a Facebook Live Q&A about what is happening in Congress and what should happen going forward in addressing COVID-19. Submit questions about the CARES Act and other COVID-19 legislation that NWLC staff will answer during the Live session.
COVID-19 Concerns in Grantseeking
May 5, 2020
12:00 PM ET
Foundant has been closely tracking the philanthropic sector’s response to COVID-19 through news stories, public resources, and conversations with their partners and clients. Although the response to COVID-19 has taken on some familiar patterns for funders and grantees, it continues to evolve—and also brings up some new scenarios and challenges. This webinar will discuss available programs, assistance, and resources as well as funder responses, adjustments, and trends. Panelists will also share tips and advice on how to move forward, and there will be a Q&A session at the end.
Facilitating Sex Education
May 7, 2020
2:00 PM ET
This webinar, hosted by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, will provide sexuality educators—those new to teaching and those looking for a refresher—foundational skills for teaching sex education. This webinar will cover the importance of using a trauma-informed lens and intentional language, facilitation skills helpful in the sex ed classroom, values as they pertain to teaching sex ed, and establishing group rights with students. Participants will leave this webinar with an increase in knowledge and comfort to successfully teach sexuality education.
|
|
|
What does it mean to be Asian in America? There are no simple answers, especially in the time of COVID-19. The pandemic—and its racist labeling as the “Chinese Virus"—has put the entire Asian American community at risk. In addition to the health threat the virus poses to everyone (though some more than others), Asians across the world have experienced a spike in COVID-19-related hate crimes. But advocacy organizations like the Asian American Feminist Collective (AAFC) would like to remind everyone that it has never been easy to be Asian in this country. Rachel Kuo, Co-Leader of the AAFC, told Teen Vogue, “Asian America, in its formation, is a political one. Asianness has always been about being banned, barred, and excluded in the U.S.” Like many organizations representing marginalized communities, the AAFC was founded by activists who were able to uplift one another through mutual aid. Their work, while vastly important and relevant in these difficult times, isn’t catered toward one moment or another. It’s about sustaining continuous community and political participation to build a better future. The AAFC wants to demonstrate how necessary it is for minorities to have a space where they feel supported and empowered, particularly when the greater national climate doesn’t allow for it. Read more...
|
|
Research
PrEP for Prevention of HIV Acquisition Among Adolescents: Clinical Considerations, 2020
PrEP with antiretroviral medication has been proven effective in reducing the risk for acquiring HIV. In 2019, the FDA approved the combination medication for adolescents and adults weighing at least 77 lb. This Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the CDC shows that PrEP is an effective HIV prevention tool for protecting adolescents at risk for HIV acquisition and discusses the considerations that providers need to address in prescribing PrEP. Recommendations for PrEP medical management and additional resources for providers are available in the U.S. Public Health Service clinical practice guidelines.
Association of Sexual Health Interventions With Sexual Health Outcomes in Black Adolescents
Black adolescents are at increased risk of contracting HIV, STIs, and experiencing unplanned pregnancy. Although sexual health interventions aimed at decreasing these risks exist, evidence of the association between sexual health interventions and the sexual behavior of black adolescents have not yet been synthesized. For this study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers synthesized the results of 29 studies of 11,918 black adolescents, sexual health interventions were significantly associated with improved abstinence, condom use, sexual health intentions, sexual health knowledge, and sexual health self-efficacy compared with control conditions. The findings suggest that sexual health interventions are associated with improvements in sexual well-being among black adolescents. There appears to be a need for wide-scale dissemination of these programs to address racial disparities in sexual health across the U.S.
Mental Health Management Among Older Youth in Foster Care: Service Utilization and Preparedness
For this study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers aimed to document mental health service use (counseling and medication) among youth in foster care, examine how prepared they feel to manage their mental health, and investigate predictors of service use and preparedness. Researchers found that youth reported high rates of mental health service use, and one-fifth of the sample reported feeling less than prepared to manage their mental health. Youth who screened positive for mental disorders were less prepared than their peers to manage their mental health. Physical and sexual abuse predicted past year use of counseling. Sexual abuse also predicted medication use. Youth who identified as 100% heterosexual were less likely than non-100% heterosexual peers to use counseling. The results also suggest geographic variation in use. Finally, caseworkers' perception of greater helpfulness of services in the county they worked predicted greater mental health preparedness.
|
|
Resources
Resources for Children and Families During the COVID-19 Crisis
The Children's Defense Fund has collected tools and resources to ensure children and families have the information they need to navigate this crisis. This resource hub includes information about self-care and wellness, education, and health coverage. It also includes resources for families who are a part of the child welfare system, immigrant communities, or seeking financial assistance.
How to Have Sex-Positive Conversations on Safer Sex and STIs in the Time of Coronavirus (and Beyond!)
While major news networks cover COVID-19 nearly 24/7, questions related to sex, in particular, are also making the headlines. Pandemic or no pandemic, sex is on many people's minds. However, seeing the menagerie of misinformation, fear-mongering, and conflicting materials circulating about both the coronavirus and STIs is potentially harmful, it’s imperative that the focus is on discussing these topics from a comprehensive, medically accurate, inclusive, and evidence-based lens. Which is to say, when talking about infections, sex, and STIs, it needs to be done without scare tactics or shaming the people who contract them. SIECUS's Zach Eisenstein and Jenelle Marie Pierce of the STI Project have compiled a quick overview of tips and tricks to help talk about STIs from a sex-positive perspective.
Club Quarantine
Teens PACT health educators have responded to social distancing measures by creating Club Quarantine, a weekly, virtual health education series for teens. These events are taking place over Instagram Live @TeensPACT or via Zoom. Events include sexual health education games, More Than Just Sex education interactive workshops, live session sexual health discussions led by Teens PACT teen peer leaders, as well as other workshops and facilitation from partner organizations on topics like DJing, dance, poetry, meditation, self-care, and more.
Suggestions from an LGBTQ+ Young Person: How School Counselors Can Support LGBTQ+ Youth
The American Counseling Association is celebrating their annual Counseling Awareness Month, bringing light to the work and importance of counselors across the U.S. Counselors in schools and other service settings can play a critical role in the lives of LGBTQ+ youth. They can advocate for safe spaces in schools and provide much-needed affirmation of their identities. Compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers, LGBTQ+ youth experience higher levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. When LGBTQ+ youth aren’t sure if a space is welcoming, they may avoid seeking help from counselors or other professionals out of fear of rejection or mistreatment. Human Rights Campaign Youth Ambassador Ace Auker (they/them) explains in this blog that counselors can save a “LGBTQ person’s life, or they can make it significantly more dangerous. A supportive, open-minded, and protective counselor can allow a closeted LGBTQ person the space to be themselves and to feel safe at school.”
COVID-19 Resources for Organizations
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is working to provide as much information and support possible to those providing direct services during this unprecedented crisis. In an effort to consolidate the vast amount of information now available regarding the Coronavirus, they have organized the COVID-19 specific resources by topic. This list will be updated frequently as more information becomes available.
|
|
|
Do you have news or resources to share with fellow Healthy Teen Network Members?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
