WILLIAMS—Chief Health Officer for the Coconino County Health Department, Barbara L. Worgess responded to the Incident at the Williams Youth and Recreation Center last week. Ms. Worgess, who is on a trip to Washington, had to respond by email.
The Health Department desired to set up a dental health booth at the Williams Health and Safety Fair held on Saturday May 15. Because the events are heavily dependent on volunteers from the NAU Dental Hygiene program, they could not arrange for a Saturday date. The staff chose, instead, to set up the Healthy Smiles event on Wednesday at the Williams Adult Actitivity Center for children. The activities included fluoride varnishes, screening and oral health education.
The turnout for the dental event at the Adult Center was light, so Joleen Burdick went to the Williams Youth and Recreation Center to generate more interest in dental hygiene. Outside the Rec Center, before she went in, she engaged several teenage couples in a conversation about risky behaviors and the consequences. Based on that conversation she provided them with a packet that included scientifically accurate information on sexual health and three condoms.
In her email, Ms. Worgess, indicated, “State and federal law enable local health departments and private health providers to provide reproductive health and sexually transmitted disease services and information to minors without parental consent.”
“I suppose it is possible the teenagers discarded the packets they were given once Ms. Burdick went into the Rec Center. If that is what happened, it is unfortunate, and Ms. Burdick and I have discussed responsibility for outcomes she did not predict,” Ms. Worgess stated in the email.
“She [Ms. Burdick] understands, in retrospect, that she was on public property and although she did not mix her messages between the two populations (teenagers and children), she should not have spontaneously engaged the teens outside. I believe her commitment and passion for her work which involves a variety of services for women, children and teens, took over when she saw an opportunity to talk with the teens.”
The web site for SexFYI does indicate that teens should talk to parents before engaging in this activity and provides a list of businesses in the county that provide free condoms. It provides a link for parents with information on how to speak with teens about sex. Some younger kids mistook the instructions for placing a condom as promoting other activities.
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