Access Health Blog

As many of you know, our community suffered the loss of a young person to suicide this month.  This pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, including our youth, and this loss sadly shows just how much. Now, more than ever, we need to check in with our youth, support them, be that caring adult… Read more »

The holidays can often be very stressful for many families. This year that stress is compounded by the added stress of the pandemic. We wanted to offer a few tips to help make your Thanksgiving as healthy as possible. Connect! Even though our dinner table may look smaller or different this year, it is still… Read more »

Adult use marijuana retail stores officially opened in Maine on October 9th. We wanted to take a moment to remind those who are 21 and over that if you choose to use marijuana, choose to use it responsibly! Here are some good reminders from the Good to know Maine Campaign: Store it safely – always… Read more »

Our local communities have spent the last few weeks gearing up for a unique but hopeful academic year for children and young adults. Back to school routines look a bit different this year, adding to the traditional stressors that affect parents, caregivers, children and young adults. Current events have only added to these factors, especially… Read more »

Summer is a time for young adults to create memories with friends while enjoying much deserved time off from school and a busy schedule. Mainers are fortunate enough to have easy access to plenty of fun outdoor activities, but it is important to remember that staying substance free is essential to having summertime fun and… Read more »

Happy Pride Month from Access Health! In the spirit of Pride Month, we are highlighting actions that parents, healthcare providers, educators and the community can take to help prevent substance use within the LGBTQ+ population. Research tells us that LGBTQ+ youth face a greater number of risk factors such as social stigma, isolation, discrimination and… Read more »

May is National Mental Health Awareness month, and what an important time it is to promote positive mental health for teens. Unarguably, we are all experiencing dramatic changes in one form or another without discrimination of race, gender, socio-economic status or age. In a time where there seems to be many forces working against us,… Read more »

Earth Day is here! Now more than ever it is essential to recognize the importance of keeping our planet safe, healthy, and sustainable. 2020’s theme is climate action, as climate change continues to be a significant concern to the world-wide population.[1] Today we see climate action happening through the work of scientists, policy-makers, activists, and… Read more »

Learn how substance use prevention is a critical component to overall wellness!                                                 Sources https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2724377?guestAccessKey=f689aa19-31f1-481d-878a-6bf83844536a https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/common-comorbidities-substance-use-disorders/part-1-connection-between-substance-use-disorders-mental-illness https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4909766/ https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/4/e20180232 https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/bullying-hurts-you-can-help https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/111/3/535.long http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/CAN-Prevention-Technical-Package.pdf MIYHS, 2019 Sagadahoc County Data https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/school_connectedness.htm https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/6/1379 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6381423/ https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/vision-future/time-for-a-change https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83240/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725219/… Read more »