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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, During the transition from childhood to
3adolescence, adolescents may not have access to or the
4awareness of the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to
5establish healthy patterns of behavior and make the
6appropriate lifestyle choices that will improve both their
7current and future health; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Many adolescents may not have access to primary
9healthcare services; in Illinois, over 120,000 children
10between the ages of birth and eighteen have no insurance; in
112018, 33.8% of 12 to 17 year olds did not receive a preventive
12medical visit; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Adolescence is a critical time to develop
14positive habits and skills that can lead to a healthy
15lifestyle and behavior over an adolescent's lifetime; the
16Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council
17conducted a study that found that one important factor in
18designing an adolescent health service is the focus on
19prevention of disease; one of the study's findings concluded
20that prevention, early intervention, and timely treatment
21improve health status for adolescents, prepare them for
22healthy adulthood, and decrease the incidence of many chronic
23diseases in adulthood; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Adolescents and young adults are adversely
2affected by serious health and safety issues, such as motor
3vehicle crashes, violence, and substance abuse; they also
4struggle to adopt behaviors that could decrease their risk of
5developing chronic diseases in adulthood, such as eating
6nutritiously, engaging in physical activity, and choosing not
7to use tobacco; environmental factors such as family, peer
8group, school, and community also contribute to the challenges
9that adolescents face; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In the past few years, immunizations have been
11licensed to provide protection for adolescents against
12infections and diseases, such as meningitis, tetanus,
13diphtheria, acellular pertussis, influenza, and cancers caused
14by human papillomavirus (HPV); and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
16Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the
17American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of
18Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Medical Association
19(AMA) recommend a routine healthcare visit for adolescents who
20are eleven or twelve years of age to receive all recommended
21immunizations and other evidence-based preventive healthcare
22services; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The United States Department of Health and Human
2Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
3has developed, in conjunction with AAP, the Bright Futures
4Initiative, which provides a set of guidelines with
5recommendations on immunizations and routine health screenings
6for adolescents; and
 
7    WHEREAS, ACIP recommends the use of FDA-approved vaccines
8for tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis, meningitis,
9influenza, and cervical cancer caused by HPV in adolescents,
10but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted adolescent access to
11essential healthcare services, including immunization; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
13has found that adolescent well visits are one of the best tools
14of preventive care to ensure continued health from childhood
15to adulthood and that children and adolescents who regularly
16visit a primary care physician are less likely to have
17emergency room visits and preventable hospitalizations; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Because adolescents remain under the care of
19their parents or guardians, the need for greater awareness for
20all on the importance of an adolescent well visit is
21paramount; therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

 

 

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1HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we hereby express support for improved adolescent health and
3wellness by recognizing the importance of an adolescent well
4visit to prevent chronic diseases, help better diagnosis and
5treat chronic diseases, and update immunizations; and be it
6further
 
7    RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to
8the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois
9Department of Human Services to disseminate to State and
10federal agencies and stakeholder organizations that can assist
11with the promotion of adolescent well health in Illinois.