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Helping Area Teens & Young Adults Cope With COVID & Other Societal Challenges

The Corner Health Center
/
cornerhealth.org

Ypsilanti's Corner Health Center is connecting with Ford Motor Company to provide a safe space for teens and young adults deal with the many challenges of what's happening right now due to COVID-19 and systemic racism.

WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Corner Health Center executive director Versell Smith and Pamela Alexander, director of community development at Ford, about a recent virtual teen summit and plans for additional community outreach moving forward.

Credit The Corner Health Center / cornerhealth.org
/
cornerhealth.org
The Corner Health Center logo

The Corner Health Center held an online mental health teen summit in May and is looking at other opportunities to help teens and young adults process everything going on right now due to the pandemic and the recent elevated attention to racism.  Versell Smith says their most recent data surveying a group of 12-to-25 year-olds shows 51% screened positive for depression, 33% screened positive for abuse, and 27% screened positive for suicidal ideation.

The Corner Health Center has also seen a 33% increase in teen and young adult pregnancies during the pandemic as well.  They're partnering with Ford to look for new ways to provide additional support in the future.

Pamela Alexander with Ford had a family member participate in the recent teen summit and said they appreciated the chance to talk about the challenges of being a teenager at this time and would like to have more opportunities to continue the discussion.

Smith says they plan to continue the conversation at the Corner Health Center about Black Lives Matter, addressing the needs of blacks in the community and taking a closer look through the equity lense.

About Corner Health Center

The mission of the Corner Health Center is to inspire 12- to 25-year-olds (and their children) to achieve and sustain healthy lives by providing judgment-free, affordable health and wellness care and education.  For more information, visit www.cornerhealth.org, join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or call for an appointment at 734-484-3600.

Press Contact: Paula Brown, Chief Development and Engagement Officer, 734-714-2251 pbrown@cornerhealth.org

The Corner Health Center, 47 N. Huron Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48197

www.cornerhealth.org

About Ford Motor Company Fund

As the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, Ford Fund’s mission is to strengthen communities and help make people’s lives better.  Working with dealers and nonprofit partners in more than 50 countries, Ford Fund provides access to opportunities and resources that help people reach their full potential.  Since 1949, Ford Fund has invested more than $2 billion in programs that support education, promote safe driving, enrich community life, and encourage employee volunteering.  For more information, visit www.fordfund.org, or join us at @FordFund on Facebook and Twitter.

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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu

Lisa Barry was a reporter, and host of All Things Considered on 89.1 WEMU.
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