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Teen Programs

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Children's National physicians and staff know that it's tough to be a teen. That's why we offer many programs for developing teens at the Children's Adolescent Health Center.

Adolescent Prevention Education Programs

Children’s Adolescent Prevention Education Programs (APEP) provide creative interventions to help patients and local teens in Prince George’s county and Washington, D.C., make informed and responsible decisions about their health.

The programs link preteens, teens, and their families to quality education, awareness, outreach, and screening services. Our goal is to empower youth and help them acquire the knowledge, skills, and strengths to live a healthy lifestyle.

Coordinated by Children’s health professionals, the programs inform and teach participants healthy habits and facts about important health concerns they face as young adults, such as abstinence, preventing HIV, unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections.

As the only hospital in the Washington, D.C., area devoted exclusively to caring for kids and teens, Children’s also serves as a resource for community partners and other health professionals on ways to effectively communicate with youth and provide related services.

Additional Adolescent Prevention Services and Programs

  • Waiting Room Education Sessions
    Don’t waste time waiting! A constructive way to use waiting room time, these sessions inform teens and families about a variety of health issues and facilitate a direct link to other available adolescent clinical services including reproductive health exams and STI/HIV counseling and testing.
  • Community-based Workshops
    Children’s health education team is available to lead on-site, interactive workshops at Washington, DC, public, private, and charter schools, churches, and local youth service agencies.
    Workshop topics include:
    • Abstinence
    • Dating, friendships
    • HIV, STIs and pregnancy
    • Peer pressure
    • Puberty, reproductive anatomy
    • Teen health services
    • Violence, bullying, conflict negotiation

Membership for All Teen Clubs

Teens interested in joining Teen Talk, TLC, or TASA should call 202-476-6010 and a member of Adolescent Prevention Education Programs will get you started!

Teen Talk Teen Life Clubs (TLC) Teens Against the Spread of AIDS (TASA) Online Services
Teen Talk

Teen Talk

Teen Talk is a weekly 'birth control' counseling class that uses motivational interviewing techniques to provide comprehensive contraception and disease prevention education for adolescent patients between the ages of 13 and 21.

Class topics include a range of contraception issues such as the process of pregnancy, male and female anatomy, barrier methods (male and female condom), hormonal methods (pill, patch, ring, and shot), dental dams, spermicide and lubrication.

The classes take place every Thursday from 1 pm - 2 pm in Children's Adolescent Health Clinic, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20010.

Teen Life Clubs (TLC)

Teen Life Clubs (TLC)

The Teen Life Clubs (TLC) is a youth development program that improves decision making skills and ultimately reduces sexual risks. Our curriculum helps teens develop the life skills they need to make safe, responsible choices about goal setting, sexual activity, responding to violence, maintaining healthy relationships, making money and securing jobs/careers. The TLCs include weekly club meetings, monthly enrichment activities and group mentors. Each TLC member can earn a stipend/gift card for being in the Club, based on attendance, punctuality, and positive participation.

The comprehensive TLC youth development program includes:

  • Weekly health education sessions on personal identity, healthy bodies, violence prevention, world of work/ financial literacy
  • Weekly homework assistance
  • Gender-specific, monthly enrichment activities held on one Saturday per month
  • Ongoing group mentoring relationships with trusted, trained adults who serve as positive role models
  • Program referrals to other after-school programs for adolescents who graduate from Teen Life Clubs
  • Exciting leadership opportunities such as the youth advisory council and summer internship
  • Program incentives such as a weekly stipend, free snacks, prizes, and gift cards

We also accept pre-teens who are not Children's patients and/or do not reside in Washington, DC. Please note: each Teen Life Club is limited to the first 15 teens who sign up.

Children’s National encourages all parents and guardians of teens in the Teen Life Clubs program to join the Family Circle.This is a group of supportive family members that includes workshops and additional resources.

Teens Against the Spread of AIDS (TASA)

Teens Against the Spread of AIDS (TASA)

Teens against the Spread of AIDS (TASA) is a program for high school students ages 16 - 18 from the Washington, DC area. Using theater, poetry, and hip hop, TASA members educate their peers, parents, and health professionals about important teen health concerns, including HIV, sexuality, and violence.

How the Program Works

TASA participants create interactive workshops and performances to teach other teens and the community about HIV and health concerns that teens have to deal with on a daily basis. TASA members commit to the program for one to two years. Members participate in training on health education and twice a month performance workshops.

Unlike theater where actors read from a script, TASA members perform scenarios that ask the audience to help decide, shape, question, and examine issues. The workshops often focus on how to handle situations that put youth at risk, and provide facts about teen health issues. After each performance, TASA members provide information about health services for teens at Children's National Health System, including HIV testing.

Come out, meet new friends while learning how to educate your peers, earn community service credit, and develop leadership skills.


Online Services

Online Services

Teen pregnancy web sites for teens and their families include:

Learn more about adolescent health services provided by other organizations on our Family Circle page.

Teen Life Clubs

Teen Life Clubs (TLC) help teens reduce their sexual risks. Read our overview packet to learn more.

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Primary Care Practices

Children’s primary care health centers and Pediatricians and Associates throughout Washington, DC, are staffed by Children’s pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and affiliated pediatricians who provide comprehensive healthcare services including immunizations, routine check-ups, diagnosis and treatment of illness, diabetes management, and care for children with complex or special needs.

HIV / AIDS Services

Children’s National has had an HIV/AIDS program since the early 1980s, and treats the majority of HIV positive children and teens in the region. More than 25 years after we diagnosed our first patient, we can point to dramatic progress made in managing and living with HIV.

Experimental Therapeutics Program

With exclusive access to new treatments, the Experimental Therapeutics Program at Children’s National offers renewed hope for a good outcome to all families.

Complex Care Program

The Complex Care Program, located in the Children's Health Center, our integrated model allows us to provide primary care and consultative services to children with complex conditions.