MOBILE, Alabama (Dec. 10, 2025) — USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital is launching a new youth empowerment series designed to help young people and their families better navigate some of the most pressing challenges facing today’s youth.

The six-topic series, which begins Jan. 26, will feature board-certified physicians, educators and law enforcement professionals offering guidance on issues ranging from gun safety to mental health and puberty. Sessions will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Strada Patient Care Center, 1601 Center St., Mobile, AL 36604.

Hospital leaders said the initiative reflects a growing need for trusted, research-based information as families confront concerns about safety, digital exposure, and adolescent development.

“We are committed to supporting the health and well-being of children beyond the walls of our hospital,” said Deborah Browning, MSN, RN, CENP, chief executive officer at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “These sessions will offer families tools and resources they can use when navigating difficult or challenging moments.”

The series opens Jan. 26 with “Gun Violence and Fostering a Safer Community,” by USA Health trauma surgeon Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., and Joshua Jones, hospital-based violence intervention program director for USA Health.

On Feb. 9, Andre King of Mobile County Public Schools will present “Digital Citizenship and Social Media Safety,” focusing on responsible online behavior and how families can address risks tied to social platforms.

The Feb. 23 session, “Drug Awareness Facing Our Youth,” will feature Terry Sexton of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, who will discuss trends in substance use and tools for prevention. Public information officer Lori Myles will also share a personal story.

Two sessions are designed specifically for preteens. On March 2, Reshvinder Dhillon, M.D., a pediatric emergency medicine physician, will lead “Guy Talk: Puberty and Beyond,” for boys ages 10 and up.

On March 16, Tracy Roth, M.D., an adolescent OB/GYN specialist, will host “Girl Talk: Puberty and Beyond,” for girls ages 10 and up.

The March 9 session, “Behind the Smile: Understanding Teen Mental Health,” will be presented by Kristin Rager, M.D., MPH, a specialist in adolescent and young adult health at USA Health.

Courtney Thomson, RNC-NIC, the pediatric education community outreach coordinator for Children’s & Women’s Hospital, developed the youth empowerment series as part of a broader effort to promote healthier, safer communities by equipping young people and parents with practical guidance and support resources.

“We believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, confident, and supported,” Thomson said. “By launching this lecture series, our hospital and health system are continuing to invest in the next generation — offering them knowledge, resources, and a community that stands behind them.”

Attendance for each event in the series is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information, contact Thomson at ccthomson@health.southalabama.edu.

About USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital 

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital – part of the University of South Alabama, the Flagship of the Gulf Coast – is the only stand-alone inpatient facility in Alabama dedicated to providing the most advanced and comprehensive healthcare to the region’s children and women. Services range from the region’s only pediatric emergency center open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, staffed with specially trained emergency medicine physicians and other providers to the region’s only level III neonatal intensive care unit, small baby unit and pediatric intensive care unit, where the area’s sickest children receive the most advanced care. The highly trained staff delivers more babies annually than any other hospital in the Mobile area and includes the region’s only high-risk obstetrics program.