European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 21, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 Imp teen clinics Cater to special i by Mary Hladky staff writer t he 3-y�afi-Oldgirl bad severe abdominal pains. Diagnosis  grew up really last and got into trouble realty fas the Frankfurt High Schnoo student  was fasted at the Frankfurt youth health Center a special teen clue located next door to her High school her patents know what happened. But if she were 75, Hsy need never have found out because Many youth clinics guarantee confidential treatment of certain problems to youths is or older. At times i wish i was older sue said. When you re a teen you get into a lot of stuff. There Are a lot of things i did t want my mom to know � the 16-year-old Junior needs allergy shots regularly. Until he Learned about the Franl blurt youth health Center the student travelled twice a week across town to the army Hospital for treatment. It was a Bummer he said. I came Here and they said. Sur you can come Here i said wheat it was a Lifesaver. It is right next to our school. It is note hassle to get to. To people Here Are easier to Lalk  he said you can talk about problems you have wifi females or whatever. Most of the teens highly recommend it. To is Tike a Liny Hospital Tor our High  every Day altar school the Frankfurt youth Hearth censer can expect a sudden Rush of Young clients. They walk Trie Brief distance Between school and clinic for treatment of routine illnesses like colds and flu. Many need physical examinations so they can part Chlpate in sports programs. Some want treatment Tor skin problems and others have allergies. Some want birth control. A very few need help Lor venereal disease or admit to a drug or alcohol problem. The Frankfurt cd info s tha oldest sufi facility for leans in Europe but Al teas seven others operate overseas. They include army facilities Al Augsburg Heidelberg. Lands Uhli Hanau and Glessen Germany and air Force facilities at Ramsten As. Germany and Raf upper Heyword England. The Navy operates Al screening Colnic Al Naples Italy that saes teens for minor complaints but does not provide medication without referral to the naval Hospital. In most cases the clinics Are primary care centers that real routine medical problems. But they also Are designed As special places for teen agers who otherwise would have to wait in line with 2-year-otds Cut Chang Teddy bears at pedlar la clinics in military hospitals. The needs of a teen Ager Are completely different from the needs of a child or adult said Carrie Dennison. Head nurse at the Frankfurt clinic. Practically everything you Are dealing with in terms of health requires a lot of time. There is a lot of fear and misunderstanding Aboul what is going on. You must explain Many  they Don t want Toga to a baby doctor said or. Gary Graham Center director " l is a real big Issue to  Tai Cra Allon of overt at Leen Cintas mirrors an american trend. Many physicians have received special training in adolescent Medicine and youth clinics Havo sprouted up in Many . Communities. Doctors Are specializing because teens have special problems and needs caused by rapid physical and mental changes. Adolescent Medicine has been a neglected area no Only in the military Oul in civilian practice Loo said or. Uhf Bill Parker chief of paediatrics atthe army to Pital in Heidelberg. An adolescent takes More Lime und time is  i think people Are recognizing adolescent is Are a special age Range said or. Maj Robert Gibbs. Family Prancl ice physician Al the Ramsten medical clinic where a teen clinic opened nov. 12. You have to have special skills to Deal with the kids. You need More patience and time  s4s photo to Dave Didi Nutte come Pananon Cov Nieh a Ladent. More teen clinics would open in european army communities if doctors had More line. Said or cot phyfe Lopiccolo pedal rec consultant Tor 7lh medical come Many paediatricians Are interested in starting in clinics but because of the a Woad Hay Hava they Ham do Mculty setting up a special time Lor teens Lopiccolo said. "1 think in would be Best 11 every clinic had a Leen  he said. It would give the Toen agora recognition his problems Are being addressed a has a place logo and he can go to a place that will guarantee some degree of  no iwo clinics took or function 1he same Way tha. Frankfurt clinic is housed in its own building near the High school. The ground floor is devoted to tha clinic. The second floor houses the child and adolescent psychiatry service the Naples clinic is operated every wednesday morning by two Navy doctors and a civilian nurse in the nurse s office a Forrest Sherman High school the Ona St Raf upper Heyford operates in the . Air Force Hospital. At Fra Wurl. Teens can come any weekday. Most clinics however set aside one or two afternoons each week  doctors will see teen clients. Clinics also have similarities. They provide special limes for leans to receive treatment. Patients sea the same doctor each visit. The More personalized at Fenlon aftos teens to develop Trust so they can open up about problems or topics they want to discuss. Teens can make their own appointments. Parents need not accompany Ihler children which is a help for working parents and also makes teens feel respected. What May be most important to teens however is that Many clip vacs Tike their civilian counterparts in Iha states provide certain treatment without parental consent. A department of defense of Awtey Board Legal comr Nullee determined in 19bo that Sens May receive Ireat men without their parents knowledge Tor drug and alcohol abuse venereal disease and birth control. The decision mirrored Many . State aws which also allow confident lean Ireat men. To ensure privacy clinics maintain separate records on Conli Dellal visits. Parents transferring to a new duty location can pick up their children s regular medical lies but will not be Given Conli Dantal treatment records eve if they ask for them. Clinics also forego charging civilian teens Lor confidential visits so that privacy is not violated by parents receiving a Bill. However the clinics do charge civilian youths for treatment of routine non Cefi Darala problems or illnesses. Military children always receive free medical treatment although the Legal committee decision also permit  for abortions doctors at teen clinics we not perform any Type of surgical procedure Chhout parental consent. In addition doctors will not keep secret any serious medical problem discovered during a confidential visit. Clinic at upper Heyford England youth seek help for personal problems by Dave Diephu . Bureau d r. Peter Cole says his clinic for teens Straf upper Heyford England sometimes smote of a psychological problem solving enter than a medical , one of two Pedia Luicians operating the 1-year-old youth clinic at he . Air Force regional Hospital said most of his patients Viil for personal rather than physical complaints. We provide a place they can turn to Cole said. We act is an advocate for the  Cole said that while his records Are confidential he keeps them separate mainly As a reminder and a record Page 14 the stars and stripes of treatment not just to keep them away irom parents our thrust is to Gal everybody involved he said. He said it sometimes is impossible to gel parents involved Many times because they Are the source of the prob Tern. Pm in contrast some parents will ask he youth a inic doctors to see their children Cole said Many patients Al the upper he lord clinic Are referrals from school nurses at Croughton High and Middle schools. School Nure Barbara Broil said she refers about two or three teens a month to the clinic with problems ranging irom birth control and venereal disease 10 problems with parents. 8ereil said ii is important teens know their visits to the cd inc will be kept secret from their parents but she always encourages fiem to Tell Ihler parents of their problems. She realizes though thai when it combw sexual questions confidentiality often is important. I think the confidentiality Lor some kids is the Only Way you re going to gel them some help Sha said. However the problems sometimes Are too serious to keep Secre Oerst said. Threats of suicide or running away would warrant immediate parental attention san said. Cole a paediatrician for 21 years said special clinics Aie needed for 13 to 18-year-old youths be Susej their special problems. However Sines Many of i he air Neils Are emotional Success of Leen clinics ism to measure he said. It s hard to undo in a few visits wha has bean Dart in is or 16years." he said