Youth Friendly Care Network

Doctor making a heart with hands

Welcome to the Youth Friendly Care Network

 

Here you can find general information about youth-friendly care and its benefits, and how to join the Youth Friendly Care Network to enhance care delivery to young people in Washington.

What is the Youth Friendly Care Network?

The Youth Friendly Care (YFCN or Network) is a statewide initiative for youth-serving medical and behavioral health professionals and providers to promote care that is welcoming, respectful, and responsive to youth ages 10–24. The Network is designed to enhance knowledge and skills of youth-centered practices, strengthen connections between youth-serving professionals, and center young people’s voices in health care delivery. Participants get tools, training, and a supportive community to help adopt youth-friendly care rooted in trust, accessibility, and respect.

The goals of the network are:

  • Build a statewide network of youth-serving clinics and practices committed to youth-friendly care

  • Enhance provider and professional knowledge of youth-friendly care practices and principle in clinical, academic, and organizational settings.

  • Support and facilitate integration of youth-friendly care practices and principles in youth-serving clinics and practices

  • Support trust building between young people and their providers to increase use of preventive care visits among teens and young adults

To help us reach our goals, participants in the network have access to:

  • Principles of youth-friendly care defined by Washington youth and with realistic strategies to implement in practice

  • A curated library of resources, tools, training, and guidance on youth-friendly practices and adolescent-centered care

  • Consultation with DOH's Adolescent Health Team or the Youth Advisory Council on topics like youth-engagement, social media for youth, youth-satisfaction, and youth-friendly care practices

  • Community of Practice comprised of other network participants to discuss youth-friendly care practices, recommendations, and strategies

  • Free print and promotional materials for Teen Health Hub WA and other youth-friendly communications

  • Optional listing as a participant on Teen Health Hub WA so young people can find your clinic or practice

How do I join?

Any health care provider, professional, clinic, or practice serving teens and young adults in Washington can join the network. Those working in primary care, mental and behavioral health, sexual and reproductive health, and school-based health are strongly encouraged to join. 

You or your clinic might be a good fit if you and your colleagues want to:

  • Learn more about what young people and experts in adolescent health say about youth-friendly care 

  • Learn concrete strategies and examples to implement youth-friendly care in health care settings

  • Prioritize young people's experience in your care 

  • Network with and learn from other providers and professionals 

  Request to join the network 

Requests are processed in 3-4 weeks. Information included in requests is not shared without permission but is subject to Public Records Disclosure laws.

What is youth-friendly care?

All young people need accessible and youth-friendly care no matter where they seek care or who delivers it. They need support from trusted adults to guide them through important and sensitive health discussions and decisions, provide and educate about preventive care, identify health needs and behaviors that need more support, and help develop their health literacy skills.

The World Health Organization (WHO 2012 (PDF)) describes youth-centered care or adolescent-friendly health services as:

  • Appropriate: Services match their specific needs

  • Accessible: Young people can get the health services they need

  • Acceptable: Services are delivered in a way that makes young people comfortable seeking care

  • Equitable: Services are available to all young people

  • Effective: Services are provided in ways that positively contribute to young people’s overall health and well-being

We define youth-friendly care as high-quality, age-appropriate care that centers young people’s needs and experiences. That includes care that is:

  • Trustworthy

  • Non-judgmental and compassionate

  • Easy to access

  • Responsive to the concerns of teens and young adults

  • Clear, factual, and based on credible information

  • Transparent about health concerns and confidentiality

  • Fosters parent engagement when appropriate

  • Supportive of ongoing youth engagement and feedback to improve health care services

How does youth-friendly care support young people?

Youth-friendly care meets young people where they are. It is grounded in evidence and best practices—and guided by what young people say they need, and is:

  • Designed to meet the unique needs of young people

  • Support their growth, development, and autonomy

  • Provide guidance through key milestones including the shift from adolescence into adulthood

This approach helps young people build trust in the health care system—and take charge of their health now and in the future.

Check out these resources to learn more about adolescent health needs:

Why does this matter?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP 2019) calls adolescence a critical window for supporting lifelong health and well-being. During this time, teens and young adults move through major developmental milestones, experience significant physical, emotional, social, and psychological changes, take more risks, and assert their autonomy. Because of this, they have unique needs and barriers that can have long-term impacts.

A national call-to-action asks for health care providers and youth-serving professionals to work together for changes that benefit youth. Action to advance adolescent health can generate a "triple dividend": health for adolescents now, health and well-being for their adult lives, and better health for the next generation.

Many young people experience reduced access to care for reasons like lack of availability of age-appropriate services, concerns about confidentiality, insensitive interactions, and health care inequities. Some notable health-related concerns during adolescence include:

  • Young people don’t seek care or services from providers who don’t value or prioritize their relationship

  • When young people miss preventive care visits with their health care provider, there are fewer opportunities to address concerns early that can lead to lifelong health issues

  • While risk-taking is a normal part of childhood, higher-risk behaviors are a primary cause of illness, injury, and death in adolescent patients

These concerns are echoed by young people in Washington who say confidentiality needs and lack of youth-centered services are top barriers to seeking care.

Have questions? Need more information? Email us at adolescenthealthunit@doh.wa.gov

Want to help us get the word out? Share this pdf flyer or our social media posts on DOH's LinkedIN and Instagram.