Our Story
Teen Health Arkansas exists to support young people, strengthen families, and help communities thrive. Everything we do is rooted in partnership, trust, and the belief that youth deserve a meaningful voice in shaping their own futures.
Our Mission
To build capacity within youth and communities to attain optimal health outcomes.
Our Vision
Healthy Youth. Whole Communities.
Youth don’t need more programs built for them. They need trusted adults and community partners who build with them.
When young people have access to honest information, real resources, and meaningful opportunities to lead, they build confidence, strengthen decision-making skills, learn to advocate for themselves, and develop leadership and career skills they carry into adulthood. They feel respected, capable, and prepared — not talked at or sidelined.
At the same time, parents, educators, and healthcare providers learn how to listen without judgment, communicate clearly, take action when youth need support, and create environments where young people feel safe asking questions and making healthy choices.
When youth and adults build together, they create thriving communities that support healthy families, sustainable careers, and lifelong well-being.
Our Youth-Centered Approach
Our Competitive Advantage
Teen Health Arkansas is a statewide organization building stronger futures by working with youth, not around them. Using a holistic, 360-degree approach, we deliver high-quality, research-based health and wellness programs that prepare young people to make informed decisions, lead with confidence, and contribute to their communities.
What sets Teen Health Arkansas apart isn’t just what we offer—it’s the results our approach produces. Youth leave our programs more confident and capable to:
- Talk about their health needs with a trusted adult and healthcare providers
- Communicate with teachers and supervisors in school or work settings
- Recognize and reframe negative thoughts
- Recognize and navigate feeling stressed, angry, or triggered
- Talk to their peers about preventing STIs and pregnancy, including abstinence
- Talk with a partner about protecting their health
Our work is driven by a clear commitment to:
- Whole-person wellness
- Leadership and workforce development
- Community collaboration
- Safe, youth-friendly spaces
- Adaptability and responsiveness
- Youth-centered education and advocacy
- Creative, engaging programming
- Shared vision and action
This is how Teen Health Arkansas prepares the next generation to lead, strengthens families, and builds healthier, more resilient communities across the state
Southern states share more than a sports conference – we share a deep love for and belief in our young people to shape the future.
Teen Health Arkansas is part of a network of teen-partnered health organizations started in Mississippi more than a decade ago. Building on the programs and curriculum developed with teens and caregivers in Southern states, THAR will do more than support health education and advocacy within Arkansas. Lessons learned and innovations within this state will help shape teen and community development in the region.
Our Southern Strength
Our Leadership
Board of Directors
Holly Smith
Marni von Wilpert
Kathryn Carroll
Sanford Johnson
Jacqueline Smith
Clay Morris
Melanie Powell
Board Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Come Grow With Teen Health Arkansas
We’re expanding our team and looking for individuals who care deeply about youth and community well-being. Explore how your skills can support healthier futures for Arkansas teens.