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Boston Public Health Commission partnered with 30 Big Cities Health Coalition members to conduct a national landscape analysis that highlights city and county programs to improve adolescent health.
The big picture: The health departments are deploying wide-ranging, effective, and innovative strategies to improve adolescent health.
- Almost all health departments provide direct clinical and health promotion services to adolescents. Many also serve as technical experts and capacity builders for other youth-serving organizations.
The details:
- Mental health: Mental health was noted by many cities/counties as a high priority topic since COVID. City health departments are supporting adolescent mental health through free teletherapy, increased access to mental health staff at school, a localized mental health resource website, social emotional learning programs, Mental Health First Aid trainings, youth mental health summits, free grief counseling for adolescents, etc.
- Substance use: Many cities/counties are addressing adolescent substance use. Health departments are working to reduce youth substance misuse through educational programs in schools and out-of-school youth programs; technical assistance, training, and counseling guides for adults (schools, clinicians, caregivers); mass media and social media campaigns; youth coalitions; positive youth development and recreational programming; etc.
Read more: How big city health departments support young people
Published
March 2026