Adolescent Health Initiative

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Adolescent Health Initiative

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We are transforming the adolescent-centered health care landscape.

The Adolescent Health Initiative is a division of Michigan Medicine's Community Health Services.

10/22/2026

With just a few weeks away, we're delighted to welcome Ali Abazeed, MPH, MPP, the Chief Public Health Officer & Director of the Detroit Health Department. He will be joining our in-person attendees on Friday to deliver our opening remarks, reflecting on the work being done in Detroit to promote adolescent health!

Appointed by Mayor Mary Sheffield, Abazeed leads a department of more than 280 public health professionals and oversees a nearly $60 million budget, advancing a Health in All Policies approach that embeds health across city government and centers the needs of Detroit residents.

Born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn along the Tireman border, Abazeed’s work is shaped by a lived understanding that place matters. He believes health outcomes are not inevitable. They are shaped by policy, investment, environment, and whether public institutions are willing to act.

Before returning to Detroit, Abazeed served as the founding Director and Chief Public Health Officer of the Dearborn Department of Public Health, where he built one of Michigan’s newest municipal health departments from the ground up. He previously served across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a Presidential Management Fellow and Public Health Advisor at the National Institutes of Health.

He is also a faculty member at Wayne State University, where he teaches Health in All Policies and mentors emerging public health leaders. Abazeed holds graduate degrees in public health and public policy from the University of Michigan and completed executive education at Harvard Kennedy School.

We're so grateful to be partnering with the city of Detroit and the people who protect the health of its residents. For more information on the exciting things happening at the 2026 Conference, visit our Conference page below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
2026 Conference on Adolescent Health. Ali Abazeed, MPH, MPP (he/him/his). Chief Public Health Officer & Director, Detroit Health Department. Special Guest. A photo of Abazeed smiling, wearing a blue blazer and a white shirt.

10/16/2026

Excited to visit Detroit for the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health? Join AHI staff Dana, Aubrey, Iman, and Marlanna for their recommendations of the best the city has to offer!

If you're not registered yet, our deadline is Monday, October 19 to secure your spot! Join us virtually November 2 or in the great city of Detroit November 6-7. Register at our Conference page below!

10/14/2026

Mark your calendars for this upcoming, no-cost, virtual training! Learn from experts all of the latest information on the effects of adolescent AI use on social-emotional development, communication skills, and health information seeking.

Join us online December 8, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST. More information to come!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
AI, Companionship & Impacts on Adolescent Health. A virtual training for youth-supporting professionals. Save the date: December 8, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.

10/13/2026

Calling all our wonderful, youth-supporting professionals in Arkansas! We have a new suite of resources on your state confidentiality laws, including a tailor-made training and a set of posters for your clinic in English, Spanish, and Marshallese.

Access all of our state Confidentiality resources below.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
You AR my sunshine! New Confidentiality resources for Arkansas! Illustration of a sunburst over the outline of Arkansas. AHI's logo.

10/12/2026

Studies show that early substance use can have critical impacts on adolescent development. But youth-serving professionals often feel unprepared to address the topic with young people in a supportive, strengths-based way. This , learn practical strategies to approach these conversations through a harm-reduction lens from our latest on-demand training, linked below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Youth Substance Use Prevention Month. A photo of an African American male doctor in showing a clipboard to a young gender non-conforming, trans, gay, pagan man. AHI's logo.

10/06/2026

Meet the newest cohort of REACH, Representing Equity for Adolescent Change in Healthcare! Every year brings new youth with fresh ideas and perspectives on how to make their voices heard and transform the landscape of adolescent health care.

Want to learn more? Visit our REACH page below.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
The 2026-2027 REACH group smiles in front of a wall. They hold a sign that says .

09/29/2026

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2024, 6.7 million households with children were affected by food security - learn how you can help!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1: September 29, Hunger Action Day. A photo of assorted groceries and canned foods in the center. Hunger Action Day is a day dedicated to raising awareness about hunger and food insecurity. It brings communities together to support food programs and promote access to nutritious food for everyone. AHI's logo is at the bottom.
IMAGE 2: What Is Food Insecurity? in white text at the top. A blue illustration of a person. Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough nutrient dense food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This can be a temporary situation for a family or can last a long time. Hunger can affect people from all walks of life. Millions in the U.S. are just one job loss, missed paycheck, or medical emergency away from hunger. A photo of a sandwich and money
IMAGE 3: What Causes Food Insecurity? According to Feeding in America, food insecurity in the U.S. isn't caused by a shortage of food, but rather by barriers that keep communities from accessing enough food to thrive. Some of these barriers include: Low or Unstable Income: Unpredictable wages due to missed paychecks, irregular hours, or a sudden layoff; Low or Unstable Income:
Unpredictable wages due to missed paychecks, irregular hours, or a sudden layoff; Poor Health Feedback Loop: Diet-related illness like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension cause higher health care costs; Location: Limited access to grocery stores or transportation can make it harder to get food; High cost of living:
Rising rents, grocery prices, and child care costs can stretch budgets thin.
IMAGE 4: Ways to Support. Screen patients for food insecurity. Partner with community organizations to connect patients with local food access programs. Inform & encourage qualifying patients to apply for federal food assistance programs such as SNAP. Raise awareness by posting informational flyers about food insecurity and ways to identify it. Organize a volunteering group at a local food bank.

09/24/2026

⚠️Less than one month remains to secure your spot at the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health! Between skill-building workshops, immersive experiences, and cutting-edge research, we've got so much in store for - all we're missing is you!

CE credits are available! For full information, visit MichMed.org/AHIConference

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
2026 Conference on Adolescent Health. Registration closes October 19. Don't miss your chance to join us: Online: November 2. In-person: November 6-7, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI. An illustration of a doctor in a white coat, holding a map with a route planned out it, surrounded by a group of six diverse youth. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.

09/23/2026

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month!

Childhood obesity is more than a number. It can affect children and adolescents across their health and well-being, and prevalence has changed significantly over the past several decades.

Swipe through to take a closer look at the data, including disparities in prevalence and what research tells us about obesity continuing into adulthood.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1: Blue and green Childhood Obesity Awareness Month graphic with a yellow awareness ribbon and five child silhouettes. Text states that 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States are living with obesity, representing about 14.7 million youths. Michigan Medicine and Adolescent Health Initiative logos as well as sources appear at the bottom.
IMAGE 2: Looking Closer. In the past 3 decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents.
Obesity affects some groups more than others, including adolescents and children in families with lower incomes.
Overall, obesity prevalence was highest in Hispanic children (26.2%) and non-Hispanic Black children (24.8%) followed by non-Hispanic white (16.6%) and non-Hispanic Asian (9.0%) children.
Studies show that 80% of adolescents aged 10 to 14 years with obesity are at risk of remaining adults with obesity. A graphic of a stethoscope on a heart.
IMAGE 3: What can we do? Screen early and regularly to identify risk factors or health trends before problems begin. Respect patients by using person-first language to avoid weight bias and shame. Illustrations of providers and patients.
IMAGE 4: Promote healthy habits such as exercise, quality sleep, eating whole fruits and veggies, and limiting screen time. Educate families on how they should support their adolescents at home to empower them to take charge of their own health. Illustrations of healthy habits and families interacting with a provider.
IMAGE 5: Understand that families are often doing their best. Recognize the significant costs of obesity and the price of wellness. Parents of obese children often miss work because of time needed to attend to their child’s obesity-related health care, and whole foods cost nearly twice as much as ultra-processed foods per serving. Illustration of a doctor smiling and a speech bubble with a heart in it.

09/16/2026

Introducing our two newest team members, Tori Kilgore (she/her) and Ida Garfield (she/her)!

Tori is the new Digital Accessibility Assistant, helping us bring AHI’s website and resources to the latest standards. A fun fact about her is that she likes to make video games. She comes from Durand, a small town in Michigan just 15 minutes from Flint. She’s currently a senior at the University of Michigan studying Computer Science with a strong interest in web design and game development. Being in Ann Arbor has been surreal for her, and she’s excited to be a part of this team.

Ida is the new Marketing Assistant joining the Training & Outreach team. As a Master of Architecture candidate at Michigan, she is passionate about graphics and visual communication. She is eager to join the team and contribute to AHI's mission of empowering adolescents in health care. In her free time, she can be found sketching around Ann Arbor or playing fetch with her dog!

Welcome to the team! We're so excited to have you 💙💚

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 is a photo of Tori Kilgore, who describes herself as having dark brown hair, fair skin, and green eyes.
IMAGE 2 is a photo of Ida Garfield, who describes herself as having curly red hair, pale skin, and brown eyes.

Address

3621 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI
48108

Telephone

+17349982009

Website

https://michmed.org/AHI

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