Who We Are
A diverse group of youth in Oregon from different counties working on various health and wellness topics. Our equity statement has become central to the work that we do as it has driven all our major decisions.
As the Oregon Health Authority's Youth Advisory Council, we recognize and prioritize the challenges youth face, especially when it comes to youth well-being. We also acknowledge and emphasize the importance of inclusivity within communities and strive to make youth-informed decisions that values human life. We do this for the future of Oregon youth, and to promote diversity, safety, stability, quality of life, and the rights of every human being. Our goal is to improve communities' health across the entirety of Oregon by offering youth feedback on policy, distribution of funds, and more to reach the goals listed above.
If you would like to get to know us better check out this video we made about youth voice:
OHA-PHD YAC Youth Engagement – How Adults Can Work Well with Youth
Past Projects
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is looking for youth leaders to join a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) for the 2025-2026 school year.
During the 2022-2023 school year, the first cohort of the YAC consisting of 20 youth from across Oregon informed OHA on how to spend $1,000,000 in COVID-19 Recovery Funds for schools.
During the 2024-2026 school year,
- Received additional funding to initiate a School Based Health Center Subcommittee to provide youth input and feedback on program policies and processes
- Completed minor consent and confidentiality project work by creating a youth facing consent and confidentiality document
- Piloted a YAC mentor program!
- Participated in Title V Needs Assessment and Prioritization meetings with OHA Maternal and Child Health Programs with the goal of selecting the youth health priorities for the next five years
- Provided feedback on the OHA's State Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Plan aimed at determining statewide priorities for health
During the 2025 - 2026 school year, the YAC will:
- Work with the public health department to develop program and policy recommendations that impact youth all over Oregon. The policy recommendations will be youth-led and driven.
- Continue the School Based Health Center Subcommittee, as well as create additional subcommittees to explore and address new projects and initiatives within the scope of the OHA YAC
- Merge OHA's Youth Data Council into the Youth Advisory Council! Interested in participating in a subcommittee with a focus on data analysis, research skills and/or surveys? This year members will have the opportunity to provide input to the Student Health Survey, seen here.