In a world with ready access to drugs, alcohol, guns, gangs, and illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, health indicators show that the behavioral decisions that adolescents confront may have serious health and mental health implications. For example, in 1998 adolescents (15-24year olds) in New York City had approximately one million hospital visits as a result of assault related injuries, almost twice as many as 25-34year olds who had the next largest number of hospitalizations.

Adolescents are also at higher risk than adults for contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Other behaviors, such as drug use and smoking, may lead to addiction and mask underlying mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. When left untreated health, mental health, and/or substance abuse problems may result in poor academic performance, isolation from familial and other supports, low self-esteem, juvenile justice involvement, physical problems, and even death. In 1997, suicide was the third-leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States among adolescents 13-19years of age.

These and other troubling health indicators raise important questions for parents/caregivers, health and mental health professionals, policy makers, school administrators, and advocates interested in promoting the healthy and safe development of New YorkCity’s adolescents: Are adoles- cents informed about health risks? Where do they obtain health information? Where do adolescents go for health care? Are health services organized and delivered in a way that promotes their access to care? What efforts are made to encourage adolescents to become smart health care consumers?