The Boston LEAH is located in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston, the major pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.
Boston LEAH is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, as well as the Harvard School of Public Health, and other hospitals and universities in the area.
Mission
The Boston LEAH Program is dedicated
To providing interdisciplinary training of diverse health professionals in 5 Core disciplines (medicine, psychology, nursing, nutrition, and social work) for leadership roles in clinical care, research, training, advocacy, administration, and the development of health services for adolescents, including those with special health care needs.
To improving youth- and family-centered, community-based care for adolescents, enhancing the capacity building with Title V programs, regionally and nationally, by providing Technical Assistance and Continuing Education.
Philosophy and Guiding Principles
The LEAH Program at Children’s Hospital Boston provides leadership training to physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and nutritionists through interdisciplinary and discipline specific curricula including seminars in adolescent health promotion and prevention, research, advocacy, public policy, nutrition, eating disorders and obesity, cultural competency, and teaching. Our curriculum integrates a biological and developmental framework, and works toward the improvement of adolescent health, locally and nationally through partnerships with families and youth, providers, state and local agencies, and professional organizations.
The Boston LEAH Program is guided by the MCH goals of eliminating barriers and health disparities, assuring quality care, and improving health infrastructure and systems.
Scientific and Research Capabilities
The Boston LEAH faculty have many research projects funded by the NIH, NIAAA, MCH, OAPP, ACS, CDC, and Foundations in areas such as preventive care, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology, STD screening, mental health, eating disorders, HIV care, health services research, substance abuse, teen parenting, asthma, vitamin D, bone health, obesity, GLBT youth, media, and nutrition.
In the past 5 years, Boston LEAH published over 340 articles, chapters, books, videotapes, cases, and Internet resources and gave over 1300 presentations.
Academic Training Programs
The LEAH Program at Children’s Hospital Boston offers a three year Adolescent Medicine fellowship (2 years for internal medicine and family practice), one year fellowships in nursing, social work, and psychology, and a 4-6 month Fellowship in nutrition.
LEAH faculty direct 3-5 Continuing Education courses on adolescent health each year. The courses have included: Adolescent Medicine, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Adolescent Nursing, HIV care, Pediatric Nutrition, and other topics.
LEAH faculty also train pediatric, internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, and gynecology residents, nurse practitioner students, social work interns, and nutrition interns.
Distance Learning
The Center for Young Women’s Health (CYWH): www.youngwomenshealth.org provides teen girls health information in English and Spanish, as well as online chats on issues such as PCOS, Endometriosis, and MRKH.
The Center for Media and Child Health: www.cmch.tv provides online resources for parents, teachers, health professionals, and the public on media and their effects on the physical, mental, and social health of all children.
The Young Men’s Health Initiative: www.youngmenshealthsite.org is being launched in 2008 to provide teen boys with health information.
Pedicases: www.pedicases.org provides health care professional with case-based learning on growth, development, and adolescent health.
Clinical Programs
Adolescent Medicine
Boston HAPPENS
Young Parents Program (YPP)
Adolescent Substance Abuse Program (ASAP)
Eating Disorders
Asthma
Reproductive Endocrinology
Gynecology
Professional Relationships
Society for Adolescent Medicine
New England Regional Chapter Society for Adolescent Medicine
