We are proud to be part of the first annual . Taking place from January 25-29, 2016, PA Teen Health Week focuses on raising awareness of all aspects of teen health issues including diet, self-harm, and mental and sexual health. It is the first such awareness week of its kind in the country. Yesterday afternoon the College of Physicians of Philadelphia hosted an event to officially kick off PA Teen Health Week with the help of some special guests. This initiative has been spearheaded by the of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Laura Offutt, MD, one of the driving forces behind PA Teen Health Week introduced the program. She is the founder of , an interactive web-based program devoted to informing teens about health issues that directly affect them. Working with a team of teenagers, Dr. Offutt has tackled such issues as bullying, reproductive health, and nutrition (Teens interested in health issues can also anonymously submit questions for future topics).
Following Dr. Offutt on was , MD, MSHP, FAAP, the Deputy Secretary for Health, Promotion, and Disease Prevention, for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. She spoke on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania about the issues PA Teen Health Week addresses, emphasizing that the week is to promote awareness of all the health issues facing teens today.
However the highlight of the event came when seven local teens read aloud Governor Tom Wolf's proclamation to kick off the week. Included in the group were teens from the College's Youth Programs run through CEPI, who braved the elements to be there.
CEPI is excited to be a part of this great event, and we are all proud of the students who came to show their support!