Linking Teens to Care: Building Pathways to Health for Rural Youth

The town of Millen sits in the heart of Jenkins County, a rural community in southeast Georgia with a rich history and community members with deep local roots. Like many rural communities across the United States, Jenkins has faced longstanding challenges with healthcare access, transportation, workforce shortages and limited behavioral health services. More than a third of children in Jenkins County live in poverty, creating barriers that can affect health, education and overall well-being.

To help address these challenges, the CDC Foundation's Teens Linked to Care (TLC) program, currently supported by Elevance Health Foundation, brings together schools, healthcare providers and community organizations to strengthen local support systems for youth. Through health education, safe and supportive environments and linkages to care, the program enhances social connections and increases access to health services and community infrastructure that promotes youth well-being.

Health Education

Health education is the foundation of the TLC program. At Jenkins County High School, students participate in lessons to build resilience and support healthy decision-making. Through suicide prevention training and interactive lessons in health and physical education classes, students learn about the drivers of substance use, the effects of stress and trauma and healthy strategies to manage emotions, relationships and conflict. With support from the school’s leadership, the Jenkins County team has reached more than 300 youth since launching the program in 2025.

Through the program, learning extends beyond the classroom. In February 2026, a group of TLC youth leaders attended a national leadership forum in Maryland where they learned new approaches to preventing substance use and promoting wellness. Returning to Jenkins County, the students hosted a youth leadership camp, sharing their knowledge through leadership development activities like sports drills, story building and drug myth and fact quiz bowls.

"We've been able to take these kids and show them there's more in the world, thanks to TLC funding," said Elizabeth McFarlin, educational liaison at Jenkins County High School. "Opportunities like this help students see themselves as leaders and changemakers."

Safe and Supportive Environments

Creating safe spaces where youth feel connected is another key component of the TLC model. In Millen, that space is the Flight Zone Teen Center. Opened in 2025 as part of the TLC program, the center provides a welcoming after-school environment where students can gather, build relationships and access tutoring from adults. The center also hosts family engagement events and helps address basic needs by providing healthy snacks, food bags and personal care items. Since opening, the teen center has had over 400 visits, highlighting the value of such a space for local youth.

"There are a lot of youth who might be having problems at home or who are too shy to talk to others,” said Omar Palacio, a graduating Jenkins County High School senior and member of the TLC Youth Advisory Board, comprised of student leaders at the school. “Now we have a safe space where we can feel supported.”

Linkages to Care

In a 2025 survey, 50 percent of the youth in Jenkins County reported experiencing poor mental health, while only 12 percent said they received the support they need. For adolescents navigating the transition to adulthood, it can be difficult to access physical and behavioral health services. To make it easier for youth, Jenkins County is strengthening connections between schools, families and healthcare providers—the third pillar of the TLC program.

To meet a need for local mental health services, TLC partnered with Evergreen Counseling Services—the first mental health provider in Jenkins County since 2006. Located adjacent to the Flight Zone Teen Center, Evergreen’s counselors work with Jenkins County High School to connect students to counseling, crisis intervention and behavioral health support. Since opening in October 2025, Evergreen has provided more than 170 individual counseling sessions, demonstrating the need for accessible local mental health support, says Lauren Amason, a licensed professional counselor at Evergreen.

"Anybody in the community can come, but through the TLC program we're also able to be present in the schools," Amason said. "Whether it's depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, relationship concerns or crisis situations, we can connect youth to support right where they are."

The impact, Amason says, extends beyond individual referrals. By creating trusted connections between youth, schools and service providers, the TLC program reduces stigma around accessing mental health services and fosters conversations about mental health and wellness.

Through health education, safe and supportive environments and improved access to care, TLC is building a network of support for more than 12,000 participants across seven TLC collaboratives in Georgia, Indiana and Kentucky. For Elaine Williams, executive director of the Jenkins County Family Enrichment Center and a lifelong Millen resident, the program's success reflects something deeper: a community-wide commitment to its youth.  

"Because of the TLC program, we've been able to provide a level of support for our youth that simply didn't exist before,” Williams said. “From prevention education and leadership opportunities to a dedicated safe space and the return of local mental health services, we're building a system of care that helps young people feel connected, supported and hopeful about their future.”