CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Department of Public Health on March 5 kicked off a series of teen summits on reproductive health, as health department data shows an increase in sexually transmitted infections since 2017.
The summit, titled “Spilling the Tea on Teen Health,” brought together more than 100 teens from four Cleveland high schools and brought together Dr. David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health, and Dr. David Margolius, director of nursing. Led by Dr. Jeannie Johnson Brooks.
Johnson-Brooks told News 5 that at the summit, teens worked in groups to ask questions and received information and resources about contraceptives and free sexually transmitted disease and Pap tests.
“It's so important to address this issue now because teens believe false information and believe myths. We want them to be protected and We want people to be aware of the risks of contracting infectious diseases and sexually transmitted diseases,” Johnson-Brooks said. You're letting them know that if there's a risk of pregnancy, you have to take responsibility. ”
Johnson-Brooks said the summit will also emphasize the importance of family communication when discussing reproductive health and helping women better understand how early pregnancy can impact other important life goals. He said he encouraged teenagers to have a “life plan” to help them.
“We talk about family involvement and the importance of family involvement,” Johnson-Brooks said. “We ask if there is a responsible adult at home. Often it's not a mother or father, it might be an older adult.” An older sister, it might be an aunt, we ask if there's a responsible adult at home. I wholeheartedly accept it. ”
“If they want to go to medical school, if they want to go to university, what is this going to look like? When we see that goal clearly written out, we realize that it's not easy to raise a child alone. It starts a conversation where there isn’t.”
Valerie Walker, founder of the Teens with Purpose Empowerment Program, told News 5 that she attended the Teens Summit and that teens explained to her that they considered the event an awakening. Ta.
“It was awesome. I'm so glad I went. Whenever I hear about a Teen Summit in town, I always try to attend,” Walker said. “I said absolutely yes. And I said, are you learning things you didn't know before? And they said, yes, we are learning.”
Walker also identified the importance of family communication to help teens make good choices regarding reproductive health.
“The more information your kids have, the better decisions they'll help you make. You're the parent, you're the authority, but you need to sit down with your kids and talk things through.” “You have to make it attractive and exciting,” Walker said. “You have to have a strategic plan. ”
The Cleveland Department of Health said it plans to hold another Teen Summit in late 2024 and pointed to additional resources at the J. Glenn Smith Health Center.
we follow through
Want to keep following the story? Let us know.
