About the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)

Healthy Youth. Successful Futures.

Group of young friends chatting outside

CDC, through its Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), promotes environments where youth can gain fundamental health knowledge and skills, establish healthy behaviors, and connect to health services to prevent HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancy.

DASH is a unique source of support for HIV, STD, and unintended pregnancy prevention efforts in the nation’s schools. DASH works to protect and improve the health of youth by:

  • Collecting and analyzing data that drive action.
  • Translating science into innovative programs and tools that protect youth.
  • Supporting a network of leaders in primary prevention by funding education agencies that reach nearly 2 million students.

DASH is committed to preventing HIV, STDs, and pregnancy among all youth. Taking a school-based health promotion and disease prevention approach to adolescent health, the division builds strategic partnerships and works to prepare healthy youth for a successful future.

DASH Strategic Plan Through 2025
Dash Strategic Plan Cover

The Path Forward: DASH 2020–2025 Strategic Plan articulates the vision, framework, and overarching goals and strategies that guide the division’s programmatic, research and surveillance efforts through 2025. This strategic plan expands DASH’s approach to addressing the critical needs of adolescents and provides targeted actions to improve their health outcomes.

Download the DASH strategic plan and related materials:

Their Future is Our Future: 30 Years of Investing in Adolescent Health

CDC is a leader in developing and promoting data-driven ways to make students safer and healthier. Since 1988, the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has worked with education agencies, health agencies, youth-serving organizations, and parents to help youth adopt healthy behaviors and avoid becoming pregnant or infected with HIV or STDs. We look back across three decades of progress in translating the science into programs, policies, and practices that can improve students’ lives.

DASH Organization

DASH is organizationally located within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).

CDC's Role in School Health

CDC promotes the health and well-being of adolescents through schools, enabling them to become healthy and productive adults. CDC supports school health functions by: