Social Services TAG Resources

Encourage Positive Connections Between Adolescents and Supportive Adults

• Mentoring Resource Page
  This website features several federal resources on mentoring, which is both a prevention and intervention strategy that can promote healthy adolescent development. (youth.gov)
• Screening and Assessment Tools for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
  This list identifies screening and assessment tools that can help evaluate youths’ individual strengths and needs and help determine what types of interventions and services they need. (HHS, Administration for Children and Families, National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families)
• Brain Frames: Short Tools for Positive Interactions With Youth in Foster Care
  A resource series to help practitioners, parents, the legal community, teachers, mentors, and other caring adults use the findings of adolescent brain science to promote healthy relationships, outlooks, and behaviors through their interactions with young people. (Annie E. Casey Foundation) 

Ensure Services and Programs Are Welcoming and Developmentally Appropriate

• Developing Adolescents: A Reference for Professionals - PDF
  Reference guide on adolescent development for professionals working with adolescents. (American Psychological Association)
• Incorporating Youth Development Principles into Adolescent Health Programs: A Guide for State-Level Practitioners and Policy Makers - PDF
  This paper provides an overview of youth development principles and offers specific strategies for integrating youth development principles into adolescent health programs. The information is relevant to other state-funded programs that address adolescent issues (e.g., teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, tobacco, substance use disorders, suicide, violence, or obesity). (The Forum for Youth Investment, Impact Strategies, Inc. and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services) 
• Creating Healthy Opportunities: Conversations with Adolescent Health Experts - PDF
  Profiles of leading adolescent health experts offer concrete suggestions for improving programs and services for adolescents. (Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration) 
• Ages and Stages
  Online resources and information about the different stages of development for children and adolescents. (American Academy of Pediatrics)  

Encourage Adolescents to Learn About Their Health and Connect Them with Trusted Healthcare Professionals

• Health Services Locator
  These health service locators can help providers and others find services in their community. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health) 
• Health Care.gov Young Adults
  Resource pages describing the Affordable Care Act and services available to adolescents. (U.S Department of Health and Human Services)
• Health Insurance Basics
  This resource is designed for teens to help them understand the basics of health insurance. (Nemours Foundation)
• Health Reform Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  Answers to frequently asked questions about the Affordable Care Act, including a Q&A about marketplace eligibility, enrollment periods, plans, and premiums. (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation) 
• Dating Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention Training
  This free, online course is available to educators, school personnel, youth mentors, and others dedicated to improving teen health. It provides scenarios, interactive exercises, and information from leading experts. (HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Adolescent Health Resources for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care - PDF
  As youth transition out of foster care, they need extra support and may need guidance on how they can access health services. This one-page document lists free resources that social service workers can use to help youth aging out of foster care in their transition. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)

Provide Opportunities for Youth to Offer Input and Build Leadership Skills Into Program Design and Activities

• Positive Youth Development: Involving Youth
  This web page provides information and resources about youth involvement. (youth.gov) 
• Youth Engagement Resources
  A series of resources and examples to inform youth engagement activities in different sectors. (Forum for Youth Investment)  

Join with Others in Your Community to Improve and Coordinate Service Delivery

• Improving Health Care Quality and Equity: Considerations for Building Partnerships Between Provider Practices and Community Organizations 
  This paper outlines four critical components for building strategic partnerships between healthcare providers and community organizations who aim to meet the needs of its local residents. (Aligning Forces for Quality, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
• Healthy Students, Promising Futures: State and Local Action Steps and Practices to Improve School-Based Health
  This toolkit features five high-impact opportunities for improving school-based health. (U.S. Department of Education) 
• A State Policy Framework for Integrating Health and Social Services - PDF
  An issue brief describing three essential components for integrating health, including physical and behavioral health services and public health, and social services. (The Commonwealth Fund)  
• What Works for Health
  Research highlights relating to coordinated service delivery systems. (University of Wisconsin, Population Health Institute)  

Stay Abreast of the Latest Research and Implement Best Practices

• Adolescent Development
  Research-based summaries on a wide range of adolescent health topics, including national and state fact sheets.  (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)  
• TAG Talks
  Video presentations by key experts showcasing the latest research on a range of topics relevant to adolescent development. Video presentations are strengths-based and include companion resources such as discussion guides for professionals and parents. (HHS, Office of Adolescent Health)   
• Advancing the Self-Sufficiency and Well-Being of At-Risk Youth: A Conceptual Framework - PDF
  This report explores how programs can help advance the self-sufficiency and well-being of at-risk youth. (HHS, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation) 
• Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action - PDF
  This report and its companion guide provide information and action steps to help communities, public health professionals, families, and young people take steps today to stop youth violence before it starts. (HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Strengthening Our Future: Key Elements to Developing a Trauma-Informed Juvenile Diversion Program for Youth with Behavioral Health Conditions
  This report describes a trauma-informed juvenile justice diversion approach with examples of how some states are addressing and implementing trauma-informed systems of care for youth and their families. (National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice at Policy Research Associates, Inc., and the Technical Assistance Collaborative)
• Brain Frames
  Five printable handouts highlighting the latest research insights about adolescent brain development. These are geared for youth-serving professionals and include key facts, sample conversations, and quick references.  (Annie E. Casey Foundation) 

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