OPENING LINES Source: https://www.naco.org/ ,Meredith Moran, First Published Feb 03, 2025 If youth have something to say, Polk County, Minn. wants to hear it. Members of the Polk County Public Health Youth Advisory Board provide feedback on existing and new public health programming and make the county aware of emerging community needs for youth. In return, the teens get a better understanding of how policy works and the government’s role in public health, according to Sarah Reese, Polk County Public Health administrator and director. “By engaging youth in our policies, our practices, our services, our procedures, we’re getting a fresh perspective, energy, information and certainly knowledge that we wouldn’t have otherwise,” Reese said. “Our work, much of the time, is with youth or partners that work with youth, so it was important for us to hear it right from their lived experience.” Public health priorities that have been identified by Youth Advisory Board members include mental health and reproductive and sexual health, according to Reese. Halle Nicholas, a high school junior on the Youth Advisory Board, said the board’s discussions around youth mental health and substance use have been particularly powerful for her. “I think that being able to use my voice to advocate for those that may feel like they are not heard is very important,” Nicholas said. Polk County Public Health also uses the youth perspective to tailor their social media content and messaging, Reese said. “What speaks to them? Are we speaking the language and appealing to them in the way that they want to?” “It could be marketing, it could be messaging, it could be a program that people are thinking about, so whatever is on the minds of public health staff, they can bring that to the Youth Advisory Board for them to provide feedback.” Thirtyyears ago,Reese served as a youth representative on Polk County’s health services advisory committee (the committee was made up of adults and had one designated position for youth). In 2018, health services advisory committees were no longer required as part of governance, and Polk County Health took a step back to assess the county’s public health needs. As a result, the department created the Youth Advisory Board, seeing it as an opportunity to merge civic engagement and leadership development, Reese said. “One of the key things from the beginning was to give back to the students too, in some way, shape or form,” said Kirsten Fagerlund, who is a member of the Polk COUNTY TAPS INTO YOUTH POWER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ENGAGEMENT 9 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03
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