The current problem-based emphasis fragments adolescent health care and often defeats attempts to deliver integrated services. To date, most disease prevention and health promotion strategies have had limited impact on core issues such as teen pregnancy, suicide, violence, and misuse of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The project envisions an innovative, multi-disciplinary training model supporting an integration of services for youth health. Feedback and results from these workshops will be incorporated into the curriculum package for use in training workshops being planned for other regions. The program is guided by a planning committee consisting of professionals from a range of disciplines, along with representatives of interested organizations and government agencies.
All council members have expertise and experience in various aspects of adolescent health.
Project activities are being coordinated through The McCreary Centre Society, a non-profit youth health research and education organization located in Burnaby, British Columbia. The project's coordinator is Dr. Roger Tonkin, a pediatrician and former head of the Division of Adolescent Health at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Tonkin currently serves as Executive Director of The McCreary Centre Society and President of the International Association for Adolescent Health. Health Canada is providing funds to support development and testing of the youth health curriculum. In 1995, the Canadian Paediatric Society conducted a review of the adolescent medicine content of pediatrics resident training programs in Canadian medical schools.