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Assistance

Sexual health for adolescents

Better Together Hennepin promotes adolescent sexual health and wellbeing.

Better Together Hennepin values young people as important members of our community. Adolescence is a critical stage of life and young people have unique and specific needs. Sexual health is a key component of adolescent health and wellbeing. Yet, not all youth have what they need, especially youth affected by racism and other barriers.

When youth have education and support, they can reach their hopes and dreams in the future.

Our approach

With our community partners we provide four key supports:

  • Connections to caring adults
  • Access to adolescent friendly health care
  • Opportunities for healthy youth development
  • Comprehensive sexual health education

We provide programs in Hennepin County neighborhoods and cities with the greatest needs. This ensures that youth who need services the most, have access.

Programs

Health mentors for youth

Health mentors are sexual health educators that work in schools and agencies. They provide education and connect youth to clinics to help them be healthy.

They work with youth one-on-one, in small groups, and in classrooms.

Health mentors consider the diverse needs of youth so they can be healthy, safe and supported.

Each location’s activities vary.

Schools with health mentors

  • Armstrong High School, Robbinsdale
  • Camden High School, Minneapolis
  • Cooper High School, Robbinsdale
  • Brooklyn Center High School, Brooklyn Center
  • Edison High School, Minneapolis
  • FAIR/Wellstone High School
  • Hopkins High School, Hopkins
  • Hopkins North Middle School, Hopkins
  • Hopkins West Middle School, Hopkins
  • Loring Nicollet Alternative, Minneapolis
  • North High School, Minneapolis
  • PYC Alternative High School, Minneapolis
  • Richfield High School, Richfield
  • Robbinsdale Middle School
  • Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis
  • Sojourner Truth Academy, Minneapolis
  • South Education Center Academy, Richfield
  • South High School, Minneapolis
  • Wellstone International High School, Minneapolis

Health mentor sites supported by other funders

  • Southwest High School, Minneapolis
  • Washburn High School, Minneapolis

Clinics with health mentors

    • Annex Teen Clinic
    • Family Tree Clinic
    • myHealth for Teens and Young Adults 

    Middle school health mentor – evaluation report

    We explored what middle school students need to be healthy and safe. Funding from the Wallace foundation helped with a student-led evaluation. The evaluation provides recommendations for the Health Mentor Model in middle school settings. Middle School Health Mentor Report 2024 (PDF, 2MB).

    Parent education

    We work with community agencies to provide education to parents for raising sexually healthy children. Both parent workshops and combined parent/teen workshops are available. The workshops cover strong relationships, open communication, and clear messages about values and expectations. 

    For more information contact Emily Scribner-O’Pray at emily.scribner-opray@hennepin.us.

    Clinic engagement

    We work to improve access to adolescent-friendly sexual health care. To do this, we engage young people, health care professionals and adolescent health experts.

    This effort aims to create sexual health care for youth that is:

    • High quality
    • Adolescent-friendly
    • Trauma-informed
    • Inclusive
    • Confidential
    • Available to young people 13-24

    Supporting youth in the justice system

    We work with Family Tree Clinic to provide sexual health education to young people involved in the justice system. The clinic provides educational group and 1:1 sessions to youth residing in the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. Additionally, the Family Tree Clinic offers a weekly drop-in support group for LGBTQIA+ youth with experience in the justice, foster care or other county systems.

    Partners

    Clinics and community organizations

    Schools

    • Brooklyn Center Community Schools
    • Hopkins Public Schools
    • Minneapolis Public Schools
    • Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
    • Richfield Public Schools
    • Sojourner Truth Academy

    Youth leadership councils

    The councils mobilize their community around adolescent sexual health and wellbeing:

    • Brooklyn Center Youth Leadership Council
    • North High Peer Educators
    • Richfield High School ¿QuéOnda? Peer Educators
    • Richfield High School Student Wellness Council
    • Minneapolis School Based Clinics Teen Health Empowerment (THE) Council
    • Robbinsdale Armstrong Youth Leadership Council
    • Robbinsdale Cooper Youth Leadership Council

    Community advisory group

    • Annex Teen Clinic
    • Brooklyn Center Public Schools
    • Family Tree Clinic
    • Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center
    • Indigenous People’s Task Force
    • Minneapolis Health Department
    • Minneapolis Public Schools
    • Minnesota Department of Health
    • myHealth for teens and young adults
    • NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center
    • Park Nicollet Foundation
    • Planned Parenthood North Central States
    • Richfield Public Schools
    • Richfield-Bloomington-Edina Public Health
    • University of Minnesota - Center for Healthy Youth Development

    Better Together Hennepin maintains a Community Advisory Group to inform and guide their work. The group is made up of professionals and community members that represent clinics, schools, health departments, health plans, and youth serving non-profits reaching young people in Hennepin County. The Community Advisory Group meets quarterly to provide input to Better Together Hennepin on programming, advise on challenges and priorities, and to help mobilize the community around adolescent sexual health and wellbeing. For more information on the Community Advisory Group, please contact Lisa Turnham at lisa.turnham@hennepin.us.

    Funders

    Funders interested in investing in youth can contact Emily Scribner-O'Pray at emily.scribner-opray@hennepin.us.

    Becoming an adolescent friendly clinic

    Helping clinics create good outcomes for youth

    Better Together Hennepin wants all youth in Hennepin County to have access to high-quality sexual health care. Our program organized an advisory group to create the Standards of Care for Adolescent Health Care. These standards help clinics identify key aspects of accessible, adolescent friendly care.

    We offer guidance and training to strengthen clinics’ ability to serve youth. Clinics can take part in an assessment process. Interested clinics should contact Sharai Sims at sharai.sims@hennepin.us 

    Resources for clinics

    List of adolescent-friendly clinics

    Visit MyselfMyhealth.org.