ACHS’s Teen Wellness Center was the first clinic for teens located within a high school in Virginia. Since its opening in September of 2010, the Wellness Center and its staff have helped countless teens, offering numerous services– all completely free of charge.
Mary Roth is a nurse practitioner at the Teen Wellness Center who has her doctorate in nursing practice. She said the goal of the clinic is for the students of ACHS to succeed physically, emotionally and academically. “Personally, one of my goals for students is that they see us as someone that they can trust,” she said, “[and] that they know that we like seeing them.”
According to the Center’s website, it will achieve these goals “by collaboratively providing an easily accessible medical clinic at Alexandria High School.” The Teen Wellness Center is located within Alexandria City High School, as well as Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus.
The clinic offers accessible health care services to Alexandria residents between ages 12 and 19, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Thursdays 1-5 p.m. There are many services offered: some require parental consent if the patient is under 18 years of age, and others are confidential with no parental consent required.
Some of their non-confidential services include Covid vaccines, HPV and TDAP vaccines, tuberculosis testing and minor illness treatment. Some of their confidential services include pregnancy testing and prevention, STD testing, birth control, Narcan distribution, health education and counseling, and mental health and substance use screenings and referrals. All of the Wellness Center’s services are completely free.
If you have questions or would like to check out the Teen Wellness Center for yourself, the Center staff encourages you to visit. Its two locations are at ACHS King Street campus (through Door 3) and the Minnie Howard campus.
All photos by Ivey Malleck for Theogony.
