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Being a teenager is not easy. Physical changes and emotional ups and downs caused by increases in hormones create a unique set of circumstances. Dealing with parents, school and peers can be difficult at times. Adding to these issues are the unrealistic expectations of society and the media. Knowing where to get information to help handle these problems is not easy.

Teen Talk was created by Jersey County Health Department. The site is reviewed by the Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Family Planning Advisory Group. The advisory group is made up of members from the community, social service and health agencies in Jersey County. We hope this site will help Jersey County teens and others find the help they need to lead happy, healthy lives.
For more information call Jersey County Health Department at 618-498-9565 or by e-mail at jchdhealth@gtec.com.

Welcome to the Feature Article on Teen Talk. A more in depth discussion of a current teen health issue will be highlighted in this section. Anyone with questions about the current article or wanting to give suggestions for future article can do so by sending an e-mail to jchdhealth@gtec.com.


	Being a teenager is not easy. Physical changes and emotional ups and downs caused by increases in hormones create a unique set of circumstances. Dealing with parents, school and peers can be difficult at times. Adding to these issues are the unrealistic expectations of society and the media. Knowing where to get information to help handle these problems is not easy. Teen Talk was created to help Jersey County teens cope with the teen years. Parents, teachers, and others who spend time with teens will find this site will help them, too!

	UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
	9-22-2007


	Teen Talk was created by Jersey County Health Department. The site is reviewed by the Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Family Planning Advisory Group. The advisory group is made up of members from the community, social service and health agencies in Jersey County. We hope this site will help Jersey County teens and others find the help they need to lead happy, healthy lives. For more information call Jersey County Health Department at 618-498-9565 or by e-mail at jchdhealth@gtec.com.



	Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment " Tri-County Counseling 618-498-9587 or 1-800-590-8222 " Wells Center 217-243-1871 " Alcohol-Drug Treatment Referrals National (24 Hours) 1-800-966-DRUG (5784) Health Care " Jersey County Health Department 618-498-9565, ext. 302 or 325 Family Planning Free Pregnancy Testing Teen Parent Services Immunizations STD/HIV Testing " Southern Illinois Health Care Center 618-463-5905 " HIV/AIDS Hotline 1-800-243-2437 " National STD Hotline 1-800-227-8922 Counseling/Mental Health " Tri-County Counseling 618-498-9587 or 1-800-590-8222 " Catholic Charities 618-462-0634 " National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) " Thursday's Child National Call Center for At-Risk Youth 1-800-872-5437 Education " Jersey CUSD#100 618-498-5561 " Adult Learning Center (GED program) 618-498-6874 " Lewis and Clark Community College Project READ 217-556-8354 " Jerseyville Public Library 618-498-9514 Employment " The Job Center 618-498-1778 Family Violence " Oasis Women's Center 618-498-4341 Sexual Abuse " Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault 24-Hour Hotline 217-753-8081


	Welcome to the Feature Article on Teen Talk. A more in depth discussion of a current teen health issue will be highlighted in this section. Anyone with questions about the current article or wanting to give suggestions for future article can do so by sending an e-mail to jchdhealth@gtec.com. Why Care About Teen Pregnancy On average there are 23 births to teens each year in Jersey County. This means teen births make up 10% or more of all births in Jersey County. Ten percent doesn't sound so bad. So why be concerned about the teen births? For one thing, teens having babies is a health risk. Babies born to teens are at more risk of being born early or prematurely. Babies born early may have breathing problems and need more medical care. Teen moms are not physically grown up themselves and being pregnant puts extra stress on their bodies. This stress can lead to complications during the pregnancy such as high blood pressure. Another reason for concern is teens who have babies are less likely to get a good education. Being pregnant and attending school is physically and emotionally difficult. After the baby is born, it becomes even more difficult to attend school because babies get sick or they can cry all night. Getting to school after staying up all night with a baby is not easy. In the long run, teen parents make less money and they and their children often live in poverty. Lack of education is one reason for this problem. Another reason is most of the teens who are raising a child are single. Single women with children make up a large part of the population living in poverty. Finally, becoming a parent too soon prevents teens from doing the things that are so important at their age. There is less opportunity to socialize because having a baby puts them in a distinctly different group. It takes away their freedom to make choices for the future. To find out more about the affects of teen pregnancies, visit The National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy web site at www.teenpregnancy.org.


	Teen Health Teens Home Page www.kidshealth.org/teen Teen Growth.com www.teengrowth.com FDA Health Information for Teens www.gov/oc/opacom/kids/html/7teens.htm Teen Health Talk www.teenhealthtalk.org Stay Teen .org www.stayteen.org Cool Nurse www.coolnurse.org Go Ask Alice! www.goaskalice.columbia.edu The Cool Spot www.thecoolspot.gov Smoking Cessation Teen Quit .com www.teenquit.com Parenting Help Parenting Teens www.parentingteens.com Talking With Kids About Tough Issues www.talkingwithkids.org Teen Pregnancy Prevention www.teenpregnancy.org Parents The Anti Drug www.theantidrug.com Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Freevibe.com www.freevibe.com Warning Signs www.warningsigns.info The Partnership for a Drug Free America www.drugfree.org