PATCH Program Gets Support to Expand Into Rural Wisconsin

For Immediate Release
September 18, 2014

Media Contact: Amy Olejniczak
(608) 358-1350

PATCH Program Gets Support to Expand Into Rural Wisconsin
Security Health Plan Helps Bridge Communication Gap Between More Teens and Health Care Providers

Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health (WAWH) is extremely grateful for a new $45,000 grant from Security Health Plan to expand the Wisconsin Adolescent Health Care Communication Program, now known as the PATCH program (Providers And Teens Communicating for Health), to rural Wisconsin.

The recently evolved PATCH program intends to improve communication between adolescents and health care providers when it comes to discussing sensitive health care topic such sexual health, alcohol and drug use, mental health, relationships, and safety.

“This innovative work began in 2010 in Wisconsin and we are extremely proud of the success we’ve had in just a few short years in helping young patients in Wisconsin be their healthiest,” says Program Director Amy Olejniczak. “With the new support from Security Health Plan we are very excited to be expanding our programming and to be able to offer workshops to more adolescents and health care providers in Central Wisconsin.”

With a goal of establishing the doctor’s office as a space in which teens feel comfortable sharing an honest health history that includes any number of behavioral health risks, the PATCH program uniquely trains Teen Educators, ages 15-17, to facilitate workshops for health care providers throughout Wisconsin. In these unique workshops, health care providers gain privileged access to the perspectives of their target population and learn directly from teenagers themselves how to better connect with young patients.

PATCH also trains Teen Educators to facilitate effective peer-to-peer educational workshops about health care rights and the importance of utilizing providers as invaluable health care resources.

“We’re all human; we all deserve to be safe and educated, and although it may be uncomfortable or awkward to talk about these subjects, health care providers can make a world of difference for teen patients,” says Andrew Turner, a Teen Educator and Senior at James Madison Memorial High School.

To schedule a workshop for providers or for teens, to make a donation to support this program or for more information about the PATCH Program, please visit www.wipatch.org or contact program staff at (608) 251-0139 Ext. 2.