Health-related concerns for youth abound, from obesity, substance abuse, bullying, and violence to physical and mental health conditions, the topic of youth health and well-being is of interest and importance in the youth development field. Increasingly, youth programs are working to address these concerns and to identify ways to promote youth health and well-being across various youth ecologies. In addition, young people are taking active roles in identifying and addressing the health concerns that affect them, helping to define effective strategies and solutions. The Journal of Youth Development is seeking proposals for papers to be included in the Autumn 2018 special issue on Promoting Health and Well-being in Youth. The goal of this special issue is to bring together current program, policy, and research and evaluation efforts, with an emphasis on practical implications and use in programs seeking to promote youth health and well-being.

Proposals for manuscripts are sought for the following journal sections:

• Feature articles – focusing on establishing areas of youth health-related concerns, with recommendations for proposed solutions that have clear implication for youth program practice and policy (4,000 words max).
• Program articles – focusing on the description of programs that have demonstrated success in addressing youth health concerns. Sufficient evidence should be provided to support the program’s efficacy, but the main aim of the manuscript should be on the description of the program, with information on program replication (4,000 words max).
• Research and Evaluation articles - focusing on one of the following: (1) Research briefs that translate current research on a youth health topic into practical application for youth practitioners; (2) reports of rigorous research or evaluation on programs addressing youth health concerns; or (3) innovative program evaluation strategies for health-focused youth programs, especially those that engage youth in the program evaluation process (2,000 words max).
• Resource Reviews – focusing on resources for promoting youth health and well-being (1,500 words max).

Special Issue Timeline

July 2017 – Call for paper proposals

September 30 – Proposals due to guest editors

October 30 – Authors notified of acceptance of proposal

February 1 – Accepted manuscripts due (uploaded by author to JYD website)

April 1 - Drafts returned for editing, and continued editing with quick turnaround as needed

June 1 – Final drafts due

September 2018- Publication

Paper proposals of 500 words or less should identify the section for which the article is being considered, provide a basic description of the proposed article, and include explicit information on how the article will focus on implications for practice and policy for promoting youth health and well-being. A separate 150-word paper abstract should be included. Proposals should be submitted to special issue guest editors Theresa Ferrari ferrari.8@osu.edu and Mary Arnold mary.arnold@oreonstate.edu by September 30, 2017.

Questions regarding proposals should be directed to the guest editors.