Adolescent Health Initiative

12/22/2025

An examination of antitransgender laws, policies, and attitudes at the state-level in correlation with youth mental health reports found that gender-diverse adolescents "in states with higher levels of structural cissexism reported greater depression and anxiety symptoms compared with those in states with lower levels." Gender-diverse youth in those states were also more likely to report unmet mental health care needs.

Read more about the mental health impacts of these policies here:

Objectives. To examine the associations between state-level structural cissexism and both mental health and unmet mental health care needs among a large national sample of gender-diverse adolescents (GDAs). Methods. We measured structural cissexism by using a composite index of state-level indicator...

12/18/2025

Only a few weeks remain to make a 2025 donation to the Adolescent Health Initiative!

Your support tells young people that their voice matters, and that they deserve health care that centers them 💙

Link in comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Navy text on a blue and green background. At the bottom is AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads Give them a Voice. A photo of a young person with glasses, a teal shirt, and blue hair, looking down with a concerned expression in a waiting room.
IMAGE 2 reads Your Gift to AHI...
Funds adolescent-driven projects created by our youth advisory council.
Helps youth speakers participate in our Conference and other events.
Supports training and resources development to create more youth-friendly providers! Give Today! A picture of a young person with glasses speaking into a microphone, their expression hopeful.

12/16/2025

⛄Happy holidays from AHI!!!🎄

To celebrate the season, our team took the time away from the hustle and bustle to share a meal, connect with each other, and build gingerbread houses!

We hope that, this year, our community finds chances to disconnect, reflect, and make some holiday memories together 💖

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 reads Happy Holidays. Sending Peace and Love! AHI's logo. A picture of the AHI team posed for a picture in front of holiday decorations. Everyone is smiling and some are wearing festive holiday accessories.
IMAGE 2 shows the team gathered around a kitchen island building gingerbread houses.
IMAGES 3 and 4 show completed gingerbread houses, decorated with candies and frosting.
IMAGE 5 shows the AHI team, this time in goofy poses with peace signs and tongues out.

12/15/2025

📢 Are you ready to change adolescent health care?

The 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health: Caring for Youth in Times of Change needs your voice! We want to see your cutting-edge research, your innovative interventions, and your thriving youth partnerships. Our Call for Proposals is open now, and we’re waiting to hear how you’re revolutionizing the landscape of youth health.

Ready to share your ideas with our community of adolescent-centered professionals? Visit our Conference page for all the latest updates, and don't forget to mark your calendars for the Conference's virtual day on November 2 and in-person days November 6-7, 2026, in Detroit, MI!

Learn more at the link in comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Black and white text on a blue background.
IMAGE 1 reads The 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health. Call for Proposals Now Open. Share your ideas! Submit by March 13, 2026. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.
IMAGE 2 reads Want to Change Youth Health Care? We're looking for innovative, imaginative changemakers with bold ideas to share. Submit your proposals in:
Adolescent Mental Health
Adolescent Primary Care
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
School-Based and Community Health
Youth Engagement Strategies
A photo of a former Conference speaker wearing a black blazer and glasses, speaking into a microphone.
IMAGE 3 reads See You In Detroit, November 6-7, 2026, and Online, November 2, 2026. A photo of the Detroit skyline featuring the Conference location, Huntington Place.
IMAGE 4 reads Submit Your Ideas by March 13, 2026. A photo of a young person at the 2024 Conference wearing a pink hoodie, speaking into a microphone.

12/10/2025

For , we broke out our art supplies and made cards for our community neighbors who are served by Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels, one of our fellow programs at Community Health Services of U-M Health. Just a reminder that there are so many ways to help your community this winter—and some of them involve stickers! ☀

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
A photo of a table covered in art supplies. In front, a card is superimposed which reads Hope this card brings sunshine to your day, with a drawing of a sun. AHI's logo on a wintry background.

12/08/2025

As young people go for their end-of-year- wellness visits, it's important that their providers understand show them empathy, compassion, and respect. Using a trauma-informed approach can empower youth and build a trusting, therapeutic bond between provider and patient.

Check out AHI's no-cost resources on well visits and trauma-informed care in the comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
A male, African-American provider uses a stethoscope on the chest of a young, masculine, Muslim patient. Navy text on a green and blue background reads Listen to their Heart. AHI's logo.

12/04/2025

National Influenza Vaccination Week is the first week of December! There’s still time to protect yourself, your family, and your community from flu 💉

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
White and navy text on a light blue and navy background with illustrated flu cells. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads National influenza vaccination week. Dec 1- Dec 6. It's not too late. This week is a reminder: there’s still time to get the flu vaccine. Flu season peaks between December and February but can last until May. By getting vaccinated, you’re helping reduce the spread of illness and safeguarding those at higher risk. . Illustration of provider giving a flu shot to a youth.
IMAGE 2 reads Protect your community. Share accurate information on vaccine safety and benefits. Make getting vaccinated easy by highlighting local clinics or pharmacy options. An illustration of a provider giving a thumbs up next to a young person with a bandage on their arm.

12/03/2025

This , we're committing to making health care (and the world!) more accessible and equitable for youth with disabilities. There's no better time to learn new ways in which we can all improve access to the physical and digital spaces where we live, work, and play.

Access our no-cost Spark training on youth with special health care needs in the comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Navy text on a blue background reads International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Four illustrations of people with limb differences and mobility aids playing tennis and soccer, cycling, and painting. AHI's logo.

12/02/2025

💙 This year for , help youth be heard. Your gift will , providing youth-friendly resources to providers and empowering adolescents to transform health care.

For more details, visit the link in the comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Navy text on a green and blue background. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads This Giving Tuesday Amplify Youth Voice. Three young people sit smiling and talking on a brick wall with a stairway in the background. On the left is a Muslim, masculine youth, in the center is a pagan, gender non-conforming, trans, gay man, and on the right is a youth with a teal shirt, blue hair, and glasses.
IMAGE 2 reads Your Gift
Funds training and resources for health care professionals to improve their care and become more youth friendly.
Empowers our youth advisory council, REACH, to accomplish youth-driven projects.
Shows your support for youth voice in health care!

11/27/2025

Did you know at age 11, young people should begin to learn their familial health histories and practice sharing it with providers? Family holiday gatherings can be a great time to collect this vital information.

Happy from AHI! 🍁🍗

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
White and yellow text on a navy background with illustrations of fall leaves. At the bottom are drawings of autumnal foods, including pies, pumpkins, and a turkey. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads In honor of National Family Health History Day, try these conversational tips at your next family gathering...
IMAGE 2 has two speech bubbles. One reads I love this casserole! It’s a special recipe passed down from Aunt Gladys. The other reads I remember Aunt Gladys! She had glaucoma, right?
IMAGE 3's first speech bubble reads Thanks so much for hosting, cooking, cleaning, and doing the dishes! The other reads ...You’re welcome. Can we go through a quick rundown of everyone’s allergies and dietary restrictions?
IMAGE 4's first speech bubble reads I just can’t talk politics with Uncle Mateo! He makes my blood boil. The other reads Would you say high blood pressure runs in our family?

11/24/2025

Just as young people need sexual health education tailored to their own development, we know our community needs resources that can be fit into their busy schedules. So we're happy to offer our recent training, More Than Milestones, Supporting the Sexual Health of Diverse Adolescents, on demand as a CE-eligible resource!

Check out all the details here: https://michmed.org/zgeYr

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Navy text on a pink background reads More Than Milestones: Supporting the Sexual Health of Diverse Adolescents. CE credits available on demand! An illustration of a winding path. Logos for University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine, and AHI.

11/20/2025

Remember those who have passed and never stop fighting for the living 🏳️‍⚧️

More than a hashtag or a day on the calendar, the struggle for rights for trans youth requires all of us, every day, to show up and never forget the lives lost to violence, political persecution, and systemic inequities. A kinder, more accepting world is possible, but only if we all do our part, every day of the year.



IMAGE DESCRIPTION
An illustration of a candle within a heart, on a wavy gradient background in the colors of the Transgender Pride Flag. White text in a navy box says Transgender Day of Remembrance. AHI's logo.