Key Topics

Key Topics

Capacity Building

Learn about and measure the capacity of your state or territory’s public health department, MCH program, or other adolescent health program to support adolescent health. Engage your community to build a concrete plan to increase that capacity, meet your objective, and measure its impact.

Visit the State Adolescent Health Resource Center's (SAHRC) website for everything you need for strategic planning, including:

  • A how-to guide for state-level strategic planning and action on adolescent health, developed with extensive input from SAHCs and MCH programs
  • An index of state adolescent health related strategic plans and related products (such as data reports, frameworks, and guiding principles) from 25 states

Visit the State Adolescent Health Resource Center's (SAHRC) website for resources on communicating strategically for Adolescent and Young Adult Health, including:

  • Tips and tools for new communicators, semi-experienced communicators, and seasoned communicators
  • Considerations for expanding your anti-racism practice as a public health professional by talking - and talking confidently - about systems, also known as Social Determinants of Health.

This public health improvement tool is designed to help state MCH programs assess and strengthen their organization’s capacity to support adolescent health. Developed by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and the National Network of State Adolescent Health Coordinators, a revised edition is coming soon.

This AMCHP white paper highlights the importance of strengthening systems that affect the health and wellbeing of adolescents, citing lessons from the state Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems initiative. A revision is in the works.