YouthLine

YouthLine is a free and confidential 24-hour teen-to-teen crisis, counseling, and referral line for youth.

Let's talk.Call: 877.968.8491Text teen2teen to 839863

Kovi Altamirano

School Based Health Centers – Where do you go during the summer?

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School Based Health Centers (SBHC) are an easy and affordable way for middle and high schoolers in Portland to be able to see a doctor about both physical and mental health issues. They can help you with routine physical exams, sports injuries, prescriptions and even counseling. But what about when the summer comes and you’re out of school?

It turns out there will be one SBHC that stays open during the summer months. Parkrose High School’s SBHC will stay open from June 18 to August 16 and you can call them to make an appointment at 503-988-3392. It’s really scary not knowing where to go to get help for anything involving your health, physical or mental, so make sure you keep in mind that this is still available to you even when you aren’t in school. You can visit their website  for more information about how to get in touch with them, what they do, and directions to Parkrose High.

Being Aware of Contraceptive Sabotage

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Here’s a USA Today article  informing young woman about contraceptive sabotage, or what they call reproductive coercion. It says that women should look out for relationships where a partner is “hiding or destroying a woman’s birth control method of choice; poking holes in a condom or removing it during sex; coercing a woman to carry out or end a pregnancy against her will through violence or threats; and intentionally exposing her to a sexually transmitted disease.” Another study shows that 1 out of 5 teen are exposed to intimate partner violence, commonly associated with contraceptive sabotage. That study quotes a 17 year old who said:

“Like the first couple of times, the condom seems to break every time. You know what I mean, and it was was just kind of funny, like, the first 6 times the condom broke. Six condoms, that’s kind of rare. I could understand 1 but 6 times, and then after that when I got on the birth control, he was just like always saying, like you you should should have have my baby, you should have my daughter, you should have my kid.”

Destroying or hiding contraception and threatening you when you use it is a form relationship abuse, and should be taken very seriously. We suggest that you keep track of your contraception – bring your own condom, know exactly what your birth control pills look like and check them before you take them, and check to be sure your ring is in place – and if you feel like you are being pressured to do things you don’t want to do please reach out for help. Text teen2teen to 839863 or call 1-877-968-8491. Take care of yourself!

Lines for Life youth meet the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy!

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Here’s a great picture of some of the Lines for Life’s youth volunteers at the most recent CARSA (Community Action to Reduce Substance Abuse) meeting. The man in the middle is Gil Kerlikowske, the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy! He was there to talk about prescription drugs and how to help Oregon keep them out of the wrong hands.