Abstract
Purpose
There are various ways to integrate the lived experiences and perspectives of youth and young adults into Maternal Child Health (MCH) goals, initiatives, and programs. This article describes the history, evolution, and current strategy of a program that engages youth from across the state of Wisconsin. It serves as an example for others who may be interested in building capacity for youth leadership and engagement.
Description
The Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH) Program started as a community-based pilot project and evolved into a robust statewide youth engagement infrastructure.
Conclusion
Meaningful youth engagement requires capacity, adaptability, and expertise. Thus, in this case, it has proven advantageous to develop complementary and mutually beneficial partnerships to support adolescent health more effectively and efficiently in Wisconsin.
Significance
Many state public health entities and partner organizations acknowledge the important role youth have in shaping and strengthening Maternal and Child Health (MCH) efforts, yet the structure and process for which they are involved varies. In Wisconsin, the Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH) Program serves as an external partner and statewide hub for youth engagement expertise, programming, and connection. This article describes PATCH’s evolvement and current approach to ensure Wisconsin youth have input on the programs, policies, and decisions impacting them and their generation.
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Data Availability
Materials that support this article are available from the corresponding author, C.J.A, upon request.
References
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Acknowledgements
This work would not be possible without the support and dedication from many individuals and organizations who have rallied around the vision of PATCH. A big thank you to each and every one of you.
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All authors had substantial contribution to the conception, design, and development of the work. Material preparation and article was prepared by C.J.A. All authors read and approved this version to be published.
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Aeschbach, C.J., Olejniczak, A.B. & Koepsel, E.R. Developing a Statewide Strategy for Meaningful Youth Engagement: Insights from a Youth-Driven Program in Wisconsin. Matern Child Health J 28, 812–819 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03867-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03867-2