Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC)
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Adolescents and Young Adults, 11-20 Years
Child and Teen Checkups
Preventive care is essential for adolescents and young adults as they achieve developmental tasks that prepare them for adulthood.
The AYA Health Questionnaire is a youth self-report tool that clinics can use for 11–20-year-old well visits for health history and risk assessments. The questionnaire asks about general health, safety, sexual health, and substance use.
- Adolescent and Young Adult Health Questionnaire (PDF) - (English)
- Additional languages available on C&TC Translated Documents web page
Before using, review the Guidance for Clinics: Using the AYA Health Questionnaire (PDF). It includes recommendations for introducing the tool to patients and family and provides resources related to minors’ consent and confidentiality.
Note: this questionnaire is not and cannot be billed as a standardized mental health screening. Separate standardized mental health screening is required. For more information about screening for mental health or depression in young people 6-20 years of age, refer to the C&TC Mental Health Screening (6-20 years) Fact Sheet (PDF).
Ideally, treat all school-age and adolescent C&TC visits as sports physicals to avoid patients having to return for forms or additional visits.
To make a Sports Qualifying Physical Examination into a complete Child and Teen Checkup for ages 11-20 years, add the following additional C&TC components that are not covered in the sports physical.
| C&TC Component | Age Requirements |
|---|---|
| Anticipatory Guidance | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Health History: Nutrition, Sleep, Social Determinants of Health | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Developmental/Mental Health Surveillance | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Physical Exam: Oral Exam and External Genitalia and Sexual Development | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Hemoglobin for Youth that are Menstruating | Once 11-20 years old |
| HIV Screening | Once 15-18 years old |
| HIV and STI Risk Assessment | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Dyslipidemia Risk Assessment | Once 9-11 years old Once 12-16 years old Once 17-20 years old |
| TB Risk Assessment | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use Risk Assessment | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| Hearing and Vision Screening | Once 11-14 years old Once 15-17 years old Once 18-20 years old |
| Verbal Referral to Dentist | Every visit 11-20 years old |
| HIPPA Compliant Referral Code | Every visit 11-20 years old |
YCC ensures health care meets the needs of young people, combining health care standards with youth-friendly experiences and settings. C&TC providers, staff, and clinics are encouraged to offer youth-centered care for youth ages 11-20.
Providers and staff understand, acknowledge, and respond appropriately to the developmental stages of adolescents.
Resources:
Clinic space and interactions with providers and staff help young people feel like they belong.
Health information is youth-focused.
Providers and staff explain clinic processes so that youth understand.
Be approachable - build rapport, acknowledge youth experiences and culture, and empower youth voices.
Be a resource - identify and share facts/resources using neutral and inclusive language.
Resource:
Provide youth with individual time alone with the clinician so that they can really talk about issues important to them
May also provide individual time with the parent/caregiver for the same reason
Resources:
- Implementing One-to-One (1:1) Time (PDF)
- Parent Confidentiality Letter Template (Word) - Additional languages available
- TALK: Toolkit for Adolescent Care. Toolkit to help primary care providers offer high-quality preventive care for adolescents
Providers and staff understand the legal parameters of minor health care consent and confidentiality, and share this information with youth and their families
Clinic policies and practices ensure that youth and parents understand and feel confident knowing their health care rights
Resource:
Use communication that actively engages young people and their parents/family in the health care experience.
Use simple, non-jargon language, active listening, and open and respectful interactions.
Resource:
- TALK: Toolkit for Adolescent Care: Toolkit to help primary care providers offer high-quality preventive care for adolescents, focusing on good communication about psychosocial and sexual health topics.
Start by addressing issues of importance to the young person.
Use client-centered interviewing and counseling techniques that build on youth strengths and help them explore and resolve issues and inspire behavior change.
Help youth to understand their health care, condition, and treatment.
Support youth to be actively involved in their decision making and treatment process.
Resources:
- Youth Friendly Care
- Motivational Interviewing Strategies to Facilitate Adolescent Behavior Change
- Routine Adolescent Health Care: Training resource that includes information on motivational interviewing.
Adolescent Health Initiative: Offers practical training, consulting, and ready-to-implement strategies to help health centers improve their adolescent-centered care. Provides resources for individuals and interdisciplinary health care teams to dive deep into adolescent health topics to form concrete, realistic plans for sustainable practice change.