Our Success

Impact Reports

Since 2010, PATCH® has continuously evolved to meet the needs of today's young people. We have been recognized both locally and nationally for our new and innovative approaches to prevention and public health work, and our ability to convene non-traditional partners (e.g., public health, care delivery, education, youth programming, academia, advocacy, and businesses) for a common purpose.

Thanks to ALL our partners for your time, commitment, and unyielding passion in making this work possible. We couldn't do it without you.

2021-2022 Impact Report

2020-2021 Impact Report

2019-2020 Impact Report

2018-2019 Impact Report

2017-2018 Impact Report

Awards & Recognition

PATCH Toolkits recognized by AMCHP as an Innovation Station Cutting-Edge Practice (2022).
PATCH Youth Advocacy Fellowship recognized by AMCHP as an Innovation Station Promising Practice (2021).
PATCH Teen Educator Program recognized by AMCHP as an Innovation Station Best Practice (2021).
PATCH leadership team received Award for Excellence in Adolescent Health from the Adolescent Health Initiative (2020).
PATCH Founder and Director recognized on de Beaumont’s 40 under forty in public health list (2019, Press Release).
PATCH Teen Educator Program highlighted in AMCHP's Implementation Toolkits to help Title V agencies meet National Performance Measures (NPMs) 10: Adolescent Well-Visits and 12: Transition (2019).
PATCH Founder and Director honored with the 2019 Vince Hutchins Partnership Award from the United States Health Resources & Services Administration – Maternal and Child Health Bureau (2019).
PATCH Founder and Director named a Woman to Watch by Brava Magazine (2018).
PATCH highlighted as part of national call to Adolescent Health: Think, Act, Grow (TAG) in Action (2016).
PATCH Founder and Director received Barbara A. Lange Memorial Award (2016).
PATCH Founder and Director received Center for Child and Family Well-being Award of Excellence (2014).
PATCH received UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing Partnership Award (2013).
PATCH Founder and Director received Youth Ally Award from Diverse and Resilient (2012).

Publications

Aeschbach, C. J., Kusch, M. M., Olejniczak, A. B., & Koepsel, E. R. (2022). Engaging Youth in Public Health: Evaluation of Short-term and Long-term Participation in the PATCH Youth Advocacy Fellowship. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001567
Aeschbach, C.J., Olejniczak, A. B., Koepsel, E. R. & Kusch, M.M. (2021). Enhancing Communication among Adolescents and Health Care Providers: Evolution and Evaluation of Youth-Driven Initiative Addressing Barriers. Wisconsin Medical Journal, In press.
Aeschbach, C. J., Burrough, W. B., Olejniczak, A. B., & Koepsel, E. R. (2019). Teaching adolescents to manage their own health care. The Journal of School Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840519867363
Olejniczak, A., Otalora-Fadner, H., Hanna, C., Hudson, E., Tess, J., & Royer, H. (2015). Evaluation of a Curriculum to Improve Clinician Communication With Adolescents. Wisconsin Medical Journal, 114(5), 213-216.

Additional publications are in the works! Stay tuned.

Presentations

Wisconsin PATCH: Engaging Youth in State-Based Adolescent Health Initiatives. Poster presented at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's Annual Conference [Virtual], 2022.
Bringing Youth Perspective to Health Care Quality Improvement. Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality's November Adolescent & Child Health Assembly - Understanding the Impact of the Pandemic on Adolescents & Children [Virtual], 2021.
A Rights-Based Approach in Child Health: An International Children's Day Panel Discussion. Hosted by the University of Minnesota's Maternal and Child Health Interest Group [Virtual], 2021.
Bridging the Communication Gap: A Youth-Driven Intervention to Improve Adolescent Patient-Provider Communication. Health Care Education Association Conference [Virtual], 2021.
Engaging Young People in Wisconsin's Adolescent Health Initiatives. Wisconsin Public Health Association Annual Conference [Virtual], 2021.
Making Shifts to Better Support and Engage Young People in Public Health during Uncertain Times: Stories and Lessons Learned from the PATCH Program in its COVID-19 Response. Presentation at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's Annual Conference [Virtual], 2021.
Toward Healthier Generations: Successful and Collaborative Approaches to Engaging Youth in Efforts to Improve Adolescent Health Outcomes. Presentation at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's Annual Conference [Virtual], 2020.
A Community and Youth Driven Approach to Addressing NPM 10 and 12 in Wisconsin. Poster presented at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's Annual Conference [Virtual], 2020.
Empowering Adolescents to Become Responsible Managers of their own Health Care: A 3-Pronged Approach. Presentation at the Society of Public Health Education's Annual Conference in Salt Lake City UT, 2019
Empowering Young People to Turn Their Passion into Activism. Poster presented at the Society of Public Health Education's Annual Conference in Salt Lake City UT, 2019
Providers and Teens Communicating for Health: Because THEY are the experts! Presentation at the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality's Growing Up Healthy Conference, 2019
Health Literacy in Young People: Examples from the Field. Invited guest on Institute for Healthcare Advancement's Health Literacy Group Discussion, 2019
Authentically Engaging Youth to be Inclusive Leaders and Activists: Because THEY are the experts! Presentation at Toward One Wisconsin's Conference on Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion, 2019
Teaching Youth How to Navigate Health Care and Empowering Them to be Their Own Advocate. Presentation at Wisconsin's Annual Best Practices in Health and Physical Education Academy, 2018
A Statewide Approach to Developing and Empowering Young Leaders and Activists. Presentation at the Healthy Teen Network's 39th Annual National Conference in San Diego CA, 2018
Positive and Authentic Youth Engagement: Lessons from Replicating a Community-Based, Youth-Driven Program in Various Communities Nationwide. Poster presented at the Healthy Teen Network's 39th Annual National Conference in San Diego CA, 2018
PATCH: Bringing youth and providers together to improve care from the youth perspective. Presentation at the Indiana School Health Network Conference, 2018
Increasing Patient Engagement and Activation Among Adolescents: A Classroom Pilot Intervention. Round table discussion at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando FL, 2018
Effectiveness of a Community-Based, Youth-Driven Program: Multi-Site Evaluation. Poster presented at the Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Conference in Washington D.C., 2018
Successfully Partnering with Youth: Strategies for Including Young Adult Perspective to Improve Adolescent Health Outcomes. Webinar presentation for Wisconsin's Health Care Transition Community, 2018.
PATCH Impacts on Adolescent Health. Webinar presentation for Adolescent and Young Adult Health National Resource Center - Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (AYAH-CoIIN), 2017
Educating, Engaging, and Empowering Youth. Creative Outreach Panel Presentation at the Minnesota Adolescent Sexual Health Summit, 2017
Cultivating a Generation of Savvy Healthcare Consumers. Presentation at the American School Health Association Conference in Baltimore MD, 2016
Adolescent Health: Think, Act, Grow - TAG in Action Panel. Panelist at the American Public Health Association Conference in Denver CO, 2016
Expanding the Impact of PATCH to Improve Relationships between Teens & Health Care Professionals. Presentation at the Adolescent Health Symposium in Madison WI, 2016.
Innovative Ways to Educate Adolescents about Healthcare. Presentation at Wisconsin's Building the Heart of Successful Schools, 2016
PATCH for Schools. Presentation at the Adolescent Health Symposium in Madison WI, 2015
Bullying and the Impact on LGBTQ+ Youth: How to be part of the solution! Presentation at the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses Spring Conference, 2015
PATCH Expansion to Rural Wisconsin. Presentation at the Wisconsin Public Health Nursing Conference, 2015