Institute For Science And Health

Youth Health and Development Fund

Mission Statement:

The Youth Health and Development Fund is dedicated to promote research into conditions that affect the health and well-being of our youth and adolescent population. The Fund is also dedicated to nurture the difficult transitions from childhood-adolescence-adulthood.

The Youth Health and Development Fund has been created to promote research into conditions that affect the health and well-being of our youth and adolescent population. This mission can be subdivided into two major categories; fundamental and applied disease/illness-based research, and disease prevention research through programming designed to promote a healthy and positive transition from childhood to adulthood.

Disease-based research

Diseases such as Juvenile Diabetes, Juvenile Arthritis, and Autism are included in the target areas of research. However, any condition that affects children is a cause for concern and warrants attention. For example, the number of children diagnosed with autism has been increasing for the past several years. The cause for this increase is as yet undetermined and remains controversial. Recent evidence indicates that chemical sensitivities may play a role in disease progression. The Institute is therefore interested in the role that environmental factors and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity plays in formation and progression of autism (see the Institute's Environmental Causes of Disease Program Initiative).

Positive health behavior development and disease prevention

The Youth Health and Development Fund also strives to enrich the lives of all developing youth as they progress across the important and fragile transitions the naturally occur from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Youth encounter numerous obstacles and critical decision-making times during their growth and development. Their ability to handle such situations in a mature, competent manner is dependant upon awareness of such situations, building of self-esteem, and incorporation of key competencies that assist in the vital decisions that are made. Thus an important component of the Youth Health and Development Fund's outreach is through the LifeWise program at the Institute for Science and Health.

LifeWise is an interactive youth development program that will enable today's youth to acquire, integrate, and implement essential core competencies that will provide the basis for success in tomorrow's world utilizing an experiential learning model. The goal is to provide the necessary elements required to construct a strong and stable foundation that minimizes or eliminates development of adverse health issues in youngsters.

This knowledge will be coupled with a highly acclaimed nationally recognized youth development approach, using a currently operating, highly regarded and evaluated core curriculum as a solid footing on which to build. The effectiveness of this curriculum has been proven in over 20 years of operation, demonstrated by proven effectiveness in increasing academic success and preventing adverse health behaviors among program participants. Results from curriculum participation indicate: 60% lower rate of school dropout; 33% lower rate of pregnancy; 14% lower rate of school suspension; and 11% lower rate of school course failure.