Supporting Adolescents Through Substance Use: Compassionate Care and Clinical Guidance
Substance use continues to be a critical health issue for adolescents and young adults, and our teams at Children’s Mercy are meeting this moment with compassion, advocacy and evidence‑based care. This work is an important reminder of the role we all play in supporting adolescents’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
These efforts are also being shaped on a local and national level by members of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine with division faculty helping guide local and national policy, clinical priorities and advocacy efforts focused on teen health.
Earlier this year, Children’s Mercy released a new Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, a condition associated with chronic cannabis use. Ryan H. Pasternak, MD, Division Director, Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, commented on the guideline given its relevance to care delivered through the Adolescent and Young Adult Specialty Clinic (AYASC), where the care team supports patients experiencing this condition alongside other substance‑related and co‑occurring health needs.
The AYASC’s care team supports adolescents and young adults through developmentally appropriate, nonjudgmental care, meeting patients and families where they are and addressing substance use alongside mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing. This approach reflects the broader AAP focus on prevention, early intervention, clinical guidance and equity in care for all youth.
As this work continues locally and nationally, the AYASC remains a key resource for helping young people make informed, healthy choices and access the support they need — today and into the future.
To refer a patient, click here and select Adolescent Specialty under “Specialty referral instructions.”