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HISTORY
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Teen Health Connection was established
in 1991 by a coalition of community organizations to address the
need for affordable, developmentally-appropriate healthcare for
adolescents in the community. Original supporters included Carolinas
HealthCare System, Presbyterian Hospital, Junior League of
Charlotte, Mecklenburg Medical Society and Mecklenburg Medical
Auxiliary Endowment. Major funding also came from Kate B. Reynolds
Charitable Trust.
In February 1992, Dr. John Johnston
joined the organization as our first medical director. He and a
family nurse practitioner began seeing patients in a small building
on Elizabeth Avenue. That same year, an agreement was signed with
the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services for Teen Health
Connection to provide health care to all adolescents in foster care.
The first medical residents from Carolinas Medical Center also began
their adolescent medicine rotations that year.
From the beginning, the philosophy of
care focused on providing both medical and mental health services.
Our staff has expanded to ensure that we provide the highest level
of adolescent services to our community. |
Dr. Kristin Rager, medical director of Teen Health
Connection and director of Adolescent Medicine for the
Levine Children's Hospital, with long-term medical director
retired, Dr. John G. Johnston. |
Teen Health Connection became a United
Way agency in 1994 and three years later, joined in a Community
Health Partnership with Carolinas HealthCare System. In 1998, Teen
Health Connection moved to its current location at CMC Northpark,
251 Eastway Drive, in Charlotte.
In 2004, thanks to funding from United
Way, Teen Health Connection introduced a comprehensive community
outreach program called Healthy Choices, Healthy Teens designed to
empower teens to make healthy living decisions.
Following the retirement of Dr. John
G. Johnston, long-time medical director, Dr. Kristin Rager joined
the staff as medical director in September 2006. Teen Health
Connection is a partner with the Levine Children’s Hospital and the
Department of Pediatrics at Carolinas Medical Center. |
