Adolescent Health Initiative

03/13/2026

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month, a time to reduce stigma and increase understanding around self-harm and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). If you or someone you know needs support, help is available. You can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Orange, yellow, and white text on a dark navy background with a butterfly motif. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads March is SELF HARM AWARENESS MONTH. Encourage those struggling to reach out to mental health professionals for support. CONTENT WARNING: Self-harm. Illustration of orange awareness ribbon.
IMAGE 2 reads Understanding Self-Harm. Self-harm, also called non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), refers to intentionally harming one’s body as a way to cope with overwhelming emotional distress.
While self-harm is not always a su***de attempt, it is a sign that someone is struggling and may need support.
Self-Harm Awareness Month helps:
Reduce stigma
Increase understanding
Encourage compassionate support and access to care
IMAGE 3 reads Self-harm can affect people of all ages, but it is most commonly reported among adolescents and young adults.
Signs someone may be struggling can include (but are not limited to):
• Unexplained cuts, burns, or bruises
• Wearing long sleeves or covering skin in warm weather
• Increased secrecy or withdrawal
• Emotional distress or mood changes
Responding with empathy and non-judgment can make it easier for someone to seek help.
IMAGE 4 reads Support & Resources. Recovery and support are possible.
If you are concerned about someone:
Approach the conversation calmly and with care
Avoid blame or judgment
Encourage connection with a trusted adult, counselor, or mental health professional
Support resources:
988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 for immediate support
Self-Injury Recovery & Awareness hosts resources & virtual peer support groups: www.thesira.org/
If someone has a serious or life-threatening injury, contact emergency services immediately

03/12/2026

Recently our Assistant Director, Marlanna Landeros, attended Brother Rice High School, Bloomfield, Michigan's Annual Warrior Wellness Week, to share adolescent-centered info on how young people can improve their social, emotional, and mental well-being. Thanks to the students of Warrior Wellness for organizing the event!

And a special shout out to Marlanna and our student worker Jacyn for ! The expertise and care you bring to everything you do not only makes AHI better, but also strengthens the community around us 💙



IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 is AHI's assistant director, Marlanna Landeros (she/her) stands behind a table of swag with an Adolescent Health Initiative logo. Marlanna describes herself as having light skin, brown eyes, dark brown hair, and glasses.
IMAGE 2 shows a cafeteria full of high school students. A sign on the wall says Home of the Warriors.
IMAGE 3 shows smiling students standing near a table with colored pens and paper. Orange and white banners in the background read RICE.

03/10/2026

March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This day highlights the importance of HIV prevention, testing, and care for women and girls, and the role communities and providers play in reducing stigma and improving access to support and treatment.

For AHI's no-cost resource on providing PrEP for adolescents, visit the link in comments!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 reads National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, March 10, 2026. Women and girls are an important part of the conversation about HIV prevention, testing, and care. In the U.S., about 23% of people living with HIV are women, and women account for around 20% of new HIV diagnoses. Awareness helps reduce stigma, increase testing, and connect people to life-saving care. Illustrations of red awareness ribbons and abstract figures in motion. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 2 reads What providers, communities, and individuals can do.
Normalize routine HIV testing
Share information about prevention tools like PrEP
Address stigma and barriers to care
Support women and girls living with HIV
Access to testing, prevention, and treatment helps improve health outcomes and move us closer to ending the HIV epidemic.

03/09/2026

Time is running out to submit your proposal for the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health! Make sure to complete your application by 11:59 p.m. EST this Friday, March 13. Full details at our Conference page - 🔗 below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Black and white text on a blue gradient background reads 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health. Deadline Friday to submit your proposal! Share your ideas with our youth-centered community. Two ways to attend: Online: November 2, 2026. In-person: November 6-7, 2026, at Huntington Place, Detroit, MI. An illustration of a doctor in a white coat, holding a map with a route planned out it. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.

03/04/2026

"No matter how strongly (and rightly) we assert that children should not bear responsibility for keeping their friends alive, the situation remains that our national youth su***de crisis weighs heavily on society’s smallest shoulders."

Uplifting this powerful article by Jessica M. Pierce, MD, MSc on the terrible burdens youth su***de places on adolescents and those around them:

A child psychiatrist reflects on the importance of openness between teens and parents, and rapid response, when a friend or acquaintance may be at risk of su***de.

03/04/2026

Day is the perfect time to share our upcoming training, Information Overload: Communication Strategies for Adolescent Vaccine Counseling. This virtual training will equip youth-supporting health professionals with evidence-based strategies to address vaccine hesitancy among adolescents and their caregivers. Our expert speakers will cover the recommendation landscape for vaccine recommendations—including HPV!

Join us April 28! Registration will open March 24 on our Webinars & Trainings page below.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Information Overload: Communication Strategies for Adolescent Vaccine Counseling. A virtual training for youth-supporting professionals. Save the date: April 28, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT. An illustration of a syringe and a medication bottle with a heart. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.

03/03/2026

🌟 Student worker update! 🌟

This semester we have been lucky to welcome Jacyn Bamis (she/her) to the team! Jacyn is a former student athlete at both the University of Hawaii where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public health and now the University of Michigan as an master of social work student. She is committed and driven by disparities not only in primary healthcare but also oral healthcare. Jacyn plans to attend dental school and eventually build a practice where she can combine dentistry with her social work background. She's passionate about providing care that looks at the whole person, not just their dental needs, and using this perspective to improve access, trust, and patient outcomes

It's also been a pleasure to welcome back Jordan Bell (she/her)! Jordan worked with AHI last summer as part of the Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP), and now she has been helping our programs team as our Youth Engagement Assistant while she completes her first year at the University of Michigan's master of public health program.

We're so happy for Jacyn and Jordan's contributions - please share a warm welcome!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 shows Jacyn Bamis, smiling in front of a blue background wearing a Michigan sports jersey. Jacyn describes herself as having dark brown eyes, brown skin, and dark black hair.
IMAGE 2 show Jordan Bell, smiling and wearing a striped shirt in front of a grey background. Jordan describes herself as having beige/honey skin, sandy brown hair, and hazel eyes.

02/25/2026

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is February 23 – March 1! This week is a reminder to continue fostering stigma-free conversations around food, body image, and mental health. Small shifts in language, routine screening, and early support can have a lasting impact for adolescents.

Want to learn more? Access our CE-eligible training, The Evaluation & Management of Eating Disorders in Adolescents in the comments!



IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Navy text on a white and green background. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 1 reads FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1. National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Eating disorders are serious mental and physical health conditions that often emerge during adolescence. Early recognition and compassionate support can make a difference. Purple awareness ribbons and an illustration of hands holding each other.
IMAGE 2 reads Important Reminders. Eating disorders do not have one “look.” All body sizes, All genders, All races & backgrounds. Warning signs may include:
Rapid weight changes
Restrictive eating
Excessive exercise
Withdrawal, mood changes
Ongoing GI complaints
Changes in menstruation.
Illustrations of people of varying body types, abilities, and backgrounds.
IMAGE 3 reads Creating Supportive Spaces.
Avoid weight-focused comments. Use respectful, non-stigmatizing language. Ask about stress, media, and body image. Listen without judgement. Illustrations of scales, phones, and conversations.
IMAGE 4 reads Crisis & Resources. If you or someone you know needs support:
📞 National Alliance for Eating Disorders
Find provider referrals: allianceforeatingdisorders.com
📞 National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Screening tool + support resources: nationaleatingdisorders.org
📞 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 (24/7 support)
You are not alone. Support is available.

02/24/2026

⚠️ With the rise in adolescent online gambling, young people are growing increasingly more susceptible to scams.

Learn how best to educate and support youth who might be gambling at our upcoming training, Hidden Bets: Youth, Online Gambling & Mental Health on March 24. Register now: https://michmed.org/nVJ44

The Super Bowl may be over, but online gambling ads, influencer hype, and scam risks are still going strong. And teens haven’t learned that the house always wins. Our tech policy counsel, Brenna Leasor, outlines how the same impulsivity that makes teens vulnerable to gambling losses also makes them vulnerable to:

• Fake Betting Sites and Apps
• AI Deepfake "Endorsements"
• "Guaranteed Win" Schemes

Get tips on how you can help teens recognize the risks and make smarter choices.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/kids-action/articles/how-online-gambling-puts-teen-boys-at-risk-for-cyber-scams

02/23/2026

According to a recent Common Sense Media survey, nearly 50% of U.S. boys age 17 are already engaged in gambling. Health care professionals can play an important role in screening youth for problematic gambling behavior and connecting them with the resources and support they need.

Find out how you can help at our upcoming virtual training! CEs are available. Register now and join us March 24. 🔗 below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Text reads Hidden Bets: Youth, Online Gambling & Mental Health. A virtual training for youth-supporting professionals. Registration now open! March 24, 11 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. EDT. An illustration of a digital tablet displaying a slot machine.

02/19/2026

Time is running out to submit your proposal for the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health! We are already receiving so many amazing ideas for workshops, posters, presentations and more—when are you submitting yours?

Join our community, online on November 2, 2026, and in person November 6-7 in Detroit, Michigan! More details below.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Black and white text on a blue gradient background reads The 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health. Less than 1 Month Left to submit your proposal! Share your ideas in community with other youth-centered professionals. Deadline March 13! An illustration of three young people. Logos for AHI and University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.

02/16/2026

📣 Know a young artist with a passion for changing health care? Encourage them to apply to the AMPLIFY Youth Art Exhibition! Selected artists will receive support, guidance, and $300 to create art that communicates their experiences of the health care system.

Finished pieces will be displayed at the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health and at galleries across Michigan in 2027 🎨

No experience necessary, and it takes less than 15 minutes to apply. More details in the comments!

This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
IMAGE 1 reads Calling all youth artists! Apply to the AMPLIFY Youth Art Exhibition. Learn more about this paid opportunity. The AMPLIFY logo is a hand holding a megaphone with a lighting bolt and the word AMPLIFY coming out. AHI's logo.
IMAGE 2 reads More than just an art exhibit AMPLIFY guides young artists and supports them as they make visual art informed by their lived experiences with the health care system.
Finished pieces will be displayed for health care providers at the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health, as well as in three galleries in Michigan in 2027!
IMAGE 3 reads Artists:
Must be ages 12-24
Reside in Michigan in 2026
Work in a visual medium (we’ll collaborate with you to display your art!)
Commit to all check-ins with our staff
Must be available for the exhibition reception in Detroit, MI, on November 6, 2026
Will be compensated $300 for their creative labor
No formal experience required
IMAGE 4 reads Make Art, Get Paid, Be Heard! Apply by April 17 at
MichMed.org/AHIAmplify. An illustration of a dripping paint can with a brush. The logo for the U-M Arts Initiative.