The medical staff makes the Center a welcoming place for teens to get basic health care, or just to talk.
Teenagers typically shy away from seeing the doctor, unless there's a crisis.
One way around this natural reluctance is to bring medical care into their environment and tailor it to their needs. The Teen Health Center, a partnership between the schools and the UW, provides basic care and health education, as well as a confidential place to talk about problems. Carol Flanagan, a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Center, notes that students are at a time in their lives when they're developing their own identities and testing themselves in the world. It's a healthy sign of growth. I don't tell them what to think or how to behave.