Arizona's Adolescent Champion Model for Healthcare- Affirm

Purpose

At Affirm, our purpose is to create a future where everyone has the trust, support, and information they need to choose what's best for them. Adolescence is a critical stage of development during which foundations for healthy behaviors in adulthood are established.

To break down barriers to quality care for youth in Arizona, we partner with the University of Michigan's Adolescent Health Initiative to implement the Adolescent Champion Model (ACM). The model creates youth-friendly environments where adolescents are empowered to establish lifelong healthy behaviors and make health decisions with confidence and clarity.

The Adolescent Champion Model is well laid out, easy to follow and fun to complete. Completing the process left myself, the staff and most importantly, our adolescent patients empowered. Through the process we were able to quickly identify and correct weaknesses in our adolescent care. I love that the model really gives a voice to an often unheard age group. I look forward to continuing to foster a high level of adolescent care and friendliness at our clinic and feel I have the tools and knowledge necessary after completing this wonderful model.

- AZ Provider

A change I've noticed at the clinic is there is a more welcoming environment where I can talk about my sexuality openly.

- AZ Youth

How It Works

The Adolescent Champion Model is a multi-faceted intervention that ensures all aspects of a health center visit are youth-centered by partnering with providers. Participating health centers overcome barriers to providing high quality services by incorporating 11 best practice strategies and that address their center's environment, policies, practices, and culture.

After participating in the ACM, clinicians have increased confidence regarding their ability to discuss sensitive subjects and to recognize behavioral health issues in their adolescent patients. Clinicians also discuss the protections and limitations of confidentiality more often and empower adolescents to be involved in their own health management.

Our Champions

Gold-Level Certified Health Centers include Mountain Park- Gateway, Valleywise Comprehensive Health Center, Chiricahua Community Health Center's mobile clinic, MHC Oro Valley Pediatrics, Mountain Park- Maryvale, Wesley Community & Health Centers, Native Health- Central, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Adelante Healthcare- Mesa, Pediatric Center of Excellence- Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., Adelante Healthcare Goodyear, Creek Valley Health Clinic, North Country Healthcare- Payson

Silver-Level Certified Health Centers include NOAH- Heuser Family Medicine, Banner University Medical Center Internal Medicine Clinic, Mariposa Community Health Center - Nogales, North Country HealthCare Clinics- Flagstaff and Winslow, Wesley Community and Health Center- Central City, Desert Sun Pediatrics, Midwestern University Comprehensive Care Clinic- Abrazo

Bronze-Level Certified Health Centers include Adelante Healthcare- Peoria, El Rio Health Center- El Pueblo

ACM Champions include Jewish Family & Children's Services- Glendale, Canyon Pediatrics- Gilbert and Mesa, Valle Del Sol - 7^th Street

Champions currently implementing the model in Cohort 5 include Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.- Sierra Vista Pediatrics, North Country Healthcare School-Based Clinic, St. Joseph’s Pediatrics, University of Arizona Mobile Health Program, and Wesley on Wheels Mobile Unit.

Become A Champion!

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A non-profit organization dedicated to making sexual and reproductive healthcare accessible to everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from.

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This website is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $6.1 million with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.

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