|
|
|
|
Headlines of the Week
Why the Coronavirus Crisis Hits Teens Particularly Hard: Developmental Scientists Explain
Although unquestionably essential to “flattening the curve” and saving lives, school closures are limiting opportunities for close human contact, which can have harmful effects on student health and well-being. And, from a developmental perspective, teens may be hit especially hard. The introduction of social-distancing measures and stay-at-home orders to combat the novel coronavirus has left many young people feeling frustrated and robbed of highly anticipated opportunities. Imagine just getting a driver's license, starting to date, or finally clinching the playoffs. Prom is right around the corner. But now they’re stuck all day at home, within 100 feet of their parents, for conceivably months on end. Yet, beyond the disappointment of canceled events and extracurriculars, social distancing can interfere with the basic developmental needs of teens—who are evolutionarily wired to become increasingly independent from parents and increasingly dependent on their peers. Biological changes in adolescence, such as increased oxytocin receptors during puberty, heighten the pleasure of social company. And friendships, in particular, have been shown to excite reward systems in the adolescent brain. Thus, it is no surprise that, relative to other age groups, teens spend the most time with their peers. In fact, high school students’ time spent with peers is more than double the amount spent with parents and other adults. ( Education Week, 4/15/20)
Gen Z Worries They'll Never Recover After Coronavirus Crisis, Survey Finds
In recent years, Gen Z has channeled their political anxieties into action by relentlessly pursuing social change. Now, as much of the country remains in limbo with social distancing and stay-at-home guidelines, Gen Z faces a heartbreaking new reality: the most politically responsible thing to do is sit at home. While it’s for the greater good, staying home means missing out on major life milestones like graduation, prom, and life-changing dream internships—and the weight of that disappointment is crushing, according to a new survey by creative agency Archrival. Archrival spoke to more than 200 young people across the U.S. about how the pandemic has changed their lives. One element of the research particularly stands out: how many members of Gen Z "feel they've been robbed of formative coming-of-age milestone moments." Ben Harms, Director of Insights and Strategy at Archrival, says, "Almost all of the more than 200 teens and twenty-somethings we connected with for this study have had major areas of their lives and life plans disrupted by COVID-19, whether that be the cancelation of their high school or college graduations, summer internships, jobs, or changes in their living situations,” (Teen Vogue, 4/15/2020)
‘Pacing and Praying’: Jailed Youths Seek Release as Virus Spreads
A 17-year-old girl spends nearly 24 hours a day in an 11-foot-by-11-foot room in the Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center, the benignly named detention facility in rural Maryland where the coronavirus first entered the state’s juvenile justice system. With her classes suspended and her counselor on leave, she steps out only to use a bathroom she shares with five other girls. Her human interactions are down to 10-minute phone calls with family members, who are barred from visiting. At the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, at least one staff member and two youths have tested positive for the virus. A 17-year-old and three other boys in his unit are reusing masks when they leave their rooms to shower. They speak to each other through the crack at the bottom of the door and eat and sleep in the same room as their toilets, but often lack soap. “I have been very nervous about possibly getting infected,” a 14-year-old in the Baltimore facility declared in a sworn statement to his public defender last week, one of several in which incarcerated youths detailed deteriorating conditions, hoping to persuade the state’s high court to set them free. Maryland is one of three states, with Texas and Pennsylvania, where lawyers have sought the mass release of juvenile offenders who have underlying health conditions or are determined not to pose a danger to society. While some states, such as New York and California, moved quickly to release nonviolent and older adults from prisons that have emerged as hotbeds for the virus’s spread, courts and state law enforcement leaders have been hesitant to extend the same benefit to children. (New York Times, 4/14/2020)
Free Text Service Sends Daily Support to Isolated Trans People
Life in lockdown has caught a lot of people off-guard. But as the majority learn to cope with isolation, stories of LGBTQ people facing difficult decisions and life quarantined with unsupportive families have become a worrying reality for many. At the best of times, it's difficult to be transgender or non-binary, and right now, the increased isolation has made that even more challenging. Multiple studies are now showing in particular why this isolation is having a disproportionate impact on trans youth. And that's precisely why a group of trans activists have banded together to provide a daily ray of light in otherwise uncertain times. The Validation Station is the new free text service created for the lockdown, from non-binary radio presenter Jacob Edward, queer, trans woman Kes; and Grace Hayhurst with support by cloud communications company Vonage. Over 500 signups are now getting a daily reminder of not only how great they are, but how valid their identity is. (Forbes, 4/11/2020)
|
|
This Week on Our Blog
By Minyan Watson-Faulkner
|
|
|
During the COVID-19 crisis, I have heard so many different things around what is essential or non-essential. This categorization spans from which employees should still go to work, what businesses can remain open, which daily activities are important enough for you to leave your house, and even which medical procedures people are allowed to have. Most of this essential versus non-essential categorization is determined by the local government. Different types of medical procedures are being banned across the country, depending on where you live. Some of these procedures include dermatologic, ophthalmological, dental procedures, and orthopedic surgeries. Read more...
|
|
|
Funding & Other Opportunities
COVID-19 and the Child Welfare and Justice Workforce
The National Council on Crime & Delinquency has developed two short surveys to gather information about COVID-19 related needs, concerns, and system impact in child welfare, juvenile justice, and criminal justice. Survey responses will provide critical information that agency leadership and the field can use immediately to identify needs and plan for increased support and improved communication during the COVID-19 outbreak. For researchers, survey responses will provide a valuable snapshot across jurisdictions about the current situation and new kinds of support and technical assistance that may be warranted. Results will be available on NCCD’s website.
Sexual Freedom in the Time of COVID
April 24, 2020
3:00 PM ET
Sexual freedom was under attack before COVID-19, and now even more is at stake. Join Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s Carmen Vázquez for a Facebook Live conversation and Q&A with Equality Florida’s Nadine Smith, G.L.I.T.S.’ Ceyenne Doroshow, and SisterSong’s Monica Raye Simpson. They’ll be talking about how their advocacy on LGBTQ equality, rights, and visibility for transgender sex workers and reproductive justice has changed due to COVID-19.
Supporting LGBTQ Youth in Schools
May 9, 2020
2:30 PM ET
This webinar, hosted by the Fenway Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago, presents the unique needs of sexual and gender minorities for school-based professionals. Participants in this webinar will learn key concepts related to sexuality and gender, discuss findings from recent research on LGBTQ youth and school environments, identify strategies for improving school environments for LGBTQ youth, and discuss available tools and resources to guide implementing these strategies.
Preventing Trafficking of Girls
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is seeking applications for funding for fiscal year 2020 Preventing Trafficking of Girls. The goal of this program is to prevent/reduce the victimization of girls who are vulnerable to sex trafficking. A webinar on April 28, 2020, at 2:00 PM ET, will provide a general overview of the program as well as discuss the application process. There will be a time for questions from participants at the end of the webinar.
Deadline: 5/26/2020
Using Casey’s Virtual Resource Center to Better Support Parenting Youth
May 28, 2020
3:00 PM ET
This webinar, hosted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, will provide a tutorial on how to use its Virtual Resource Center, a new online community designed for child welfare practitioners who work with expectant and parenting youth. Panelists will preview the online community and provide tips on using the space effectively to strengthen their work with expectant and parenting youth. During the webinar, participants will learn how to access and navigate the Virtual Resource Center through the Jim Casey Initiative Exchange platform and how the Baltimore City Department of Social Services used Casey’s Systems Leaders Data Tool Kit to improve data collection and reporting on expectant and parenting youth.
|
|
|
Rallies and marches and other traditional forms of protest are out, given the social distancing restrictions now in place from coast to coast, but activists are organizing campaigns nonetheless aimed at what is emerging as the latest front in the country’s civil rights struggle: the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on communities of color. The COVID-19 racial disparity in infections and deaths is viewed as the latest chapter of historical injustices, generational poverty, and a flawed healthcare system. The epidemic has hit African-Americans and Hispanics especially hard, including in New York, where the virus is twice as deadly for those populations. So in the midst of a national quarantine, civil rights activists are organizing broad, loosely stitched campaigns at home from their laptops and cellphones, creating online platforms and starting petitions to help shape relief and recovery plans. Though digital tools are part of most initiatives, the pandemic is prompting a new kind of creativity to rally support without the power and visceral energy of crowds. Collectively, the goal is targeted legislation, financial investments, and government and corporate accountability. While some governors established task forces to study the disparities—and President Trump promised more race-based data—civil rights and social justice organizations were working to combat rampant misinformation and to make policy recommendations. The numbers—or lack of numbers—became one of the first battles. Across the country, activists demanded wider access to testing and better case data stratified by race. Groups are rolling out a list of demands and protections that are both unique to the pandemic and familiar social justice calls. They include some guarantee of housing stability—a moratorium on rent, mortgage payments, evictions and utility disconnections. They also want the release of nonviolent older and medically high-risk people from jails and prisons, and expansions of Medicaid benefits and stronger employee protections, such as paid sick leave. Longer-term, groups are recommending ways to protect voter rights in the upcoming presidential election. Read more...
|
|
Research
Recommendations for Developing Survey Items and Outcome Measures to Evaluate Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs
This brief from Child Trends gives evaluators of teen pregnancy prevention programs survey items and outcome measures to consider when assessing the impact of their programs. The outcomes included are drawn from Child Trends’ evaluation of Re:MIX, a comprehensive sexual health education program that aims to reduce rates of unintended pregnancy and STIs among primarily Latinx adolescents (grades 8-10) in Texas. Child Trends included measures from four mediating outcome domains (intentions, knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes about sexual activity and contraceptive use) that are linked to reproductive health behaviors.
Transgender Youth Experiences and Perspectives Related to HIV Preventive Services
In the United States, transgender youth are at especially high risk for HIV infection. Literature regarding HIV prevention strategies for this vulnerable, often-hidden population is scant. Before effective, population-based HIV prevention strategies may be adequately developed, it is necessary to first enhance the contextual understanding of transgender youth HIV risk and experiences with HIV preventive services. For this study, published in Pediatrics, researchers conducted focus groups with transgender youth from across the United States to better understand participant HIV risk and experiences with HIV preventive services. A total of 30 transgender youth participated. The average age was 18.6 years, and youth reported a wide range of gender identities (e.g., 27% were transgender male, 17% were transgender female, and 27% used ≥1 term) and sexual orientations. Four themes emerged: barriers to self-efficacy in sexual decision-making, safety concerns, fear, and other challenges in forming romantic and/or sexual relationships, need for support and education, and desire for affirmative and culturally competent experiences and interactions (eg, home, school, and health care). Findings should inform intervention development to improve support and/or services, including the following: increasing provider knowledge and skills to provide gender-affirming care, addressing barriers to services (e.g., accessibility and affordability as well as stigma and discrimination), and expanding sexual health education to be inclusive of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and definitions of sex and sexual activity.
Adolescents Obtaining Abortion Without Parental Consent: Their Reasons and Experiences of Social Support
Most states require adolescents younger than 18 to involve a parent prior to obtaining an abortion, yet little is known about adolescents’ reasons for choosing abortion or the social support received by those who seek judicial bypass of parental consent for abortion. For this study, published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, researchers conducted in‐depth interviews with 20 individuals aged 16–19 who sought judicial bypass in Texas between 2015 and 2016 to explore why they chose to get an abortion, who they involved in their decision, and what their experiences of social support were. Researchers found that participants researched their pregnancy options and involved others in their decisions. They chose abortion because parenting would limit their futures, and they believed they could not provide a child with all of their needs. Anticipated stigma motivated participants to keep their decision private, although they desired emotional and material support. Not all young men agreed with adolescents’ decisions to seek an abortion, and agreement by some males did not guarantee emotional or material support; some young women described their partners’ giving them the “freedom” to make the decision as avoiding responsibility. After a disclosure of their abortion decision, some participants experienced enacted stigma, including shame and emotional abuse.
|
|
Resources
Tips to Help Young Parents Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Raising a family isn’t easy, and even the demands of everyday parenting can seem overwhelming. Add the coronavirus pandemic to the picture, and stress levels are certain to rise. Annie E. Casey Foundation has published this latest resource for young parents and the professionals who work with them. The one-page document highlights five ways that caregivers can reduce stress during this challenging time.
Abortion Access During COVID-19, State by State
Governors and state attorneys general who oppose abortion rights are using the COVID-19 pandemic to suspend abortion care, deeming it nonessential health care that can be delayed. Rewire.News has been tracking the ways in which state officials are using the COVID-19 crisis to suspend legal abortion. They have up together a list organized by state which will continue to be updated as changes happen.
Does #SocialDistancing Have You Feeling Isolated?
AMAZE's new video addresses the feeling of social isolation that young people might have while social distancing. Watch for ideas on how to still feel connected while staying at home.
SwiftStudent
SwiftStudent is a new, free digital tool to help college students needing to adjust their financial aid. As the country contends with the COVID-19 pandemic, college students and their families everywhere face mounting challenges. SwiftStudent guides college students through the formal process of requesting additional financial aid when their economic circumstances have changed. SwiftStudent is a collaboration between the Institute for Women's Policy Research, FormSwift, and the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation.
Nine Things Congress Must Do to Safeguard Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Age of COVID-19
Even with the pandemic wreaking havoc on the U.S. and global health care systems and economies, reproductive health care needs and decisions cannot be put on hold during the COVID-19 crisis. Reproductive autonomy and the tools to exercise it—including contraceptive services and supplies, abortion care and pregnancy-related care—may be more urgent than ever as people face increasingly difficult reproductive choices in a time of heightened health, social and economic stress. As Congress prepares additional relief packages, the Guttmacher Institute has put together this policy analysis that outlines what Congress needs to prioritize to ensure that all people can make the decisions that are right for them and their families.
|
|
|
|
Keep an eye out for updates over the next few weeks. We will be sharing social media toolkits, digital advocacy opportunities, and more. Fill out this form to receive more updates.
|
|
|
Do you have news or resources to share with fellow Healthy Teen Network Members?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
