Enhancing Adolescent and Young Adult Health Services! A Review of the Community Needs Assessment Process in an Urban Federally Qualified Health Center

Background: Urban African American adolescents and young adults (AYAs) face multiple barriers to effective engagement in health care, including access to primary and specialty care services resulting in significant disparities in care. Purpose: To conduct a needs assessment to enhance service delivery of AYAs at an urban federally qualified health center (FQHC) organization in Detroit. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted among pediatric staff members (N=11) using the community needs assessment approach specified for FQHCs. Results: The needs assessment determined the following priorities for AYAs seeking care at this FQHC organization: (1) mental health (e.g., depression and anxiety), (2) obesity, and (3) sexual health (e.g., sexually transmitted infection testing). Conclusion: When analyzing a population to learn about community-based issues, a needs assessment is a valuable tool. The information here has been used as supplemental information to address the health inequities that African American youth face within Detroit.