On the track to adulthood: the missions of the young human being, dodging the risks and gaining the tools

Medical staff are expected to cooperate with other professions and agencies in helping the young human in achieving the goal of becoming a healthy, well- functioning adult that expresses her/his maximal potential. Achieving this goal should be cost-effective. Cost includes not just the economic burden but also psychosocial determinants such as emotional disruption, stress, living at risk, malfunctioning, and dependency. Acknowledging the risks and the expected achievements at each age are useful in analyzing the failure of community health programs and in planning preventive modalities and needed remedies.