West Suburban Teen Clinics Unveil Name Change

Forty years ago a small medical clinic opened its doors in the western suburbs to provide medical services to teens. Today that organization has grown to include two clinics—in Excelsior and Hopkins—providing free and low-cost reproductive healthcare, dental services and mental health counseling.

The clinics also offer a program for pregnant and parenting girls, as well as health and parent education in 44 schools, reaching a total of 20,000 teens and young adults ages 12-23 and their parents in Hennepin, Scott and Carver Counties.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary, West Suburban Teen Clinic has announced its new identity as myHealth for Teens and Young Adults.

With the many changes that have taken place over the years, the previous name no longer reflected the services and programs offered, nor the geography that was being reached by them.

The new name will immediately begin being used in educational materials, signage and communications. In 2013, the detailed process of migrating all business and legal documents to myHealth, as well as more fully leveraging the name in clinic and outreach activities, will take place.

Information from myHealth:

Formerly West Suburban Teen Clinic, myHeatlth clinics will continue their focus on being attuned the unique physical, emotional and social needs of their patients, and are committed to helping them make responsible, well-informed decisions about their health.

myHealth was conceptualized in 1971 by a local group of community members and high school students in response to several areas of concern—including the increase of unplanned pregnancies among teens as public health threats and the acknowledgement that teens and young adults were less likely than those of other age groups to seek out preventive services. 

The group's planning led to the creation of myHealth as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit reproductive health clinic for teens in 1972.  In 1987, myHealth added the "Becoming" program, which provides support and increases self-sufficiency skills for pregnant and parenting adolescents. Our education and youth development program has evolved and grown since the 1990’s and reaches young people and parents every year with health information and education.  

In 2011, a second suburban clinic was opened in downtown Hopkins. The myHealth clinics and programs together touch the lives of over 23,000 young people and their families every year.

myHealth’s mission is to improve the health of our community by providing health services and information that support teens and young adults in making responsible and well-informed decisions. Our vision is that teens and young adults are supported, happy and healthy because their parents, peers and community are active partners and resources.