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Health Centers: A Teenage Perspective

As teenagers coming from privileged backgrounds, we often take healthcare and health insurance for granted. Going to the doctor’s office is just a normal activity for us instead of the financial burden that it can be for others. In this way, it’s true that health centers, defined as being entities that “provide care to all patients, regardless of ability to pay” by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), don’t really have the same impact on our lives that they do on the lives of so many others. But in honor of National Health Center Week, which is recognized during the week of August 4th to August 10th every year, we decided to explore the impact of health centers on our community and how teenagers like us can get more involved. 

Before examining the impact of health centers on our community, it’s important to take a look at some statistics to truly understand their role in promoting public wellbeing. As of 2022, In Naperville, Illinois, Data USA states that the percentage of the overall population that was not covered by health insurance was a mere 2%. However, in the neighboring city of Aurora, Illinois, the percentage of citizens who were uninsured was a staggering 11%, and in context of Aurora’s total population of over 180,000, this means that roughly 19-20,000 people are without any kind of health insurance. Additionally, every one primary care physician must look after 2,493 people, making it already difficult to get in touch with a clinical professional and even more so for those who lack insurance. But that’s where health centers come in. According to the Bureau of Public Health, all health centers are required to “serve everyone, even if they cannot pay.” They treat all kinds of afflictions, including but not limited to “medical, dental, mental health,” and “substance use,” making them a valuable resource to those in the community who find it difficult to access this kind of care elsewhere. For the purpose of our research, we looked into Aunt Martha’s Health Center in Aurora, Illinois. Aside from just offering the services mentioned above, Aunt Martha’s also provides community support for youth in the area, including homelessness prevention and support for teen parents. Teenagers like us from more privileged backgrounds are sometimes unable to even imagine being in situations like these. But thanks to health centers like Aunt Martha’s and more, it’s possible for our peers facing these circumstances to get the help they need and gain opportunities. 

However, sometimes it seems like just relying on professionals to help out isn’t enough. Luckily, there are ways for teenagers to get involved in promoting public health and helping out in the community. Aunt Martha’s is on-site at Hesed House, a place where teenagers and adults alike can volunteer to help aid homelessness, and for more, reaching out to places like Aunt Martha’s is a great way to find more opportunities. Teenagers like us may never understand what it feels like to go through poverty, or live life uninsured. But one thing is for sure: there are ways to help. And it’s important that we take advantage of those opportunities so that we can help make our community a better place.