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Teens browse this list for services in your area. Don’t run away, call for help.NEW YORK AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU) : YRights As a Pregnant Or Parenting Teen (2007)]Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At SchoolGuttmacher Data: Minors’ Rights as ParentsIf you are facing abuse or threats because of your pregnancy here is a crisis line. http://www.thursdayschild.org/html/about.htm 800-USA-KIDSRESOURCES STATE BY STATE:ALABAMA: Babies First: United Methodist Children's HomeFor teen mothers in foster care.If you are a pregnant teen in Alabama in foster care, ask your case manager, counselor or CASA worker if this program could be right for you.ALASKA Passage House: Passage House907-272-1255 (Call to get help now.)Ages 17–21ARIZONA: Girls Ranch Scottsdale: Girls Ranch - Florence Crittenton.Ask a school counselor, case manager, or CASA Advocate about Girls Ranch Scottsdale.An adult needs to help arrange admission if this program is right for you.Most but not all pregnant teens at Girls Ranch Scottsdale are in Arizona state custody.ARIZONA:The House of El-Elyon:HousingParenting ClassesAges 12–18ARIZONA: Starting Out Right: Starting Out Right | Free Pregnancy Test | Arizona Youth PartnershipCall 520–719–2014 or email [email protected] suppliesARIZONA: Tempe. TeenAge Pregnancy Program (TAPP) / APPP👩‍🎓Educational support.Case management.Counseling.Parenting preparation.ARKANSAS: Compassion House: Get Help - Compassion House479-419-9100 (Call for help.)HousingChristian orientation.Ages: 19 and underARKANSAS: Hanna House: Hannah House of Fort Smith Arkansas479–782–5683 phone or email: [email protected] 13–29CALIFORNIA: (Alameda County) Bay Area Youth Center: Real AlternativesEmail: [email protected] SkillsAges 16–25CALIFORNIA: El Nido Programs - El Nido Family Centers: Teen Family ServicesHome Visits help teens connect to healthcare, education, counseling, financial help employment and childcare.Several locations in Los Angles areaAntelope Valley: Pacoima office at: 818.896.7776CALIFORNIA:Maternity Shelter Program - Home [email protected] Diego AreaAges 18–24CALIFORNIA : (Lake County) Lake Family Resource Center. Teen Parenting/Adolescent Family Life ProgramServices for Pregnant and Parenting teensMust enroll before 19th birthdaCalifornia: Welcome to Mary's Pregnant Teen Shelter .Housing.CALIFORNIA: (Sacramento) Waking the VillageHome Infograph — Waking the VillageContact us about our housing programs: 916-601-2979HousingEducational SupportIntensive MentoringCase ManagementArt, Friendship, Community, CreativityChild Development CenterTravel, Recreation, CampingAges 18–24CALIFORNIA (HOUSING) (North Hollywood.) Youth Volunteers of America Los Angeles. (VOALA) Women’s Care Cottage. Women’s Care Cottage is an Independent/Transitional living program assisting homeless young women coming out of emergency shelters, foster care and probation. Admits women with one infant up to the age of 1 year. Provides up to 18 months – 3 years of housing, case management, counseling, social and cultural activities. Ages 18–21.COLORADO: options for Pregnant or Parenting Teens. Jefferson County Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program (JCAPPP) Jeffco Public Schools. Non-residential. Specialized curricula, job-training, social support. Onsite childcare for teen parents.COLORADO: ttp://ttps://obgyn.coloradowomenshealth.com/health-info/teens/teen-pregnancy-programs Non-residential. University of Colorado/Colorado Adolescent Maternity Program. (CAMP) Specialized obstetrical care for teens. Emotional and social support.COLORADO: (HOUSING) Hope House of Colorado Quote from the website: “Hope House is metro-Denver's only resource providing free self-sufficiency programs to parenting teen moms, including Residential, GED, and College & Career Support programs. Additional supportive services include parenting and life skills classes, healthy relationship classes, and certified counseling, all designed to prepare them for long-term independence.” (ages 16 to 24)COLORADO: Yampah Mountain High School Non-residential, public School-based support for pregnant and parenting teens. High quality Infant and toddler childcare onsite.CONNECTICUT: Noank Community Support Services Clift House. Shelter care for ages infant to 18, either gender. Pregnant and Parenting teens.CONNECTICUT: Young Parents Program Public school-based services for pregnant and parenting teens. High School completion support and ONSITE childcare at High Schools for teen parents. Districts offering the Young Parents Program: Bridgeport, Griswold, New Britain, Torrington, Waterbury, Windham. Contact: Shelby Pons, MSW, [email protected] (860) 807-2126DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: (Non-Residential) Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting Specialized Pre-natal care. Education support. Counseling. Teen fathers also served. Ages Served: Adolescents who are pregnant and aged 21 or younger are eligible to enroll at any time during their pregnancy. Young fathers may enroll if they are expecting a child, or if they have a child under the age of five years. Once enrolled, youth may continue to participate in the program until 23 years of age.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: http://tps://dcps.dc.gov/page/expectant-and-parenting-students (Non-residential). Expectant and Parenting Students. New Heights. “Supportive case management and assistance with securing services, such as a childcare voucher, WIC, housing, TANF, employment, job training opportunities, college/university admissions and more.” Public High School Programs: The following schools have the New Heights program in their buildings, and can be reached at the following phone numbers:Anacostia, (202) 645-4040Ballou, (202) 645-3400Ballou STAY, (202) 727-5344Cardozo, (202) 671-1995CHEC, (202) 939-7700 ext. 5063Coolidge, (202) 282-0081Dunbar, (202) 698-3762Luke C. Moore, (202) 678-7890Roosevelt, (202) 576-8899Roosevelt STAY, (202) 576-8399Washington MET, (202)727-4985Wilson, (202) 282-0120Woodson, (202) 939-20324. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (HOUSING) Perennial Transitional House for Teen Parent23.DISTRICT OF COLuMBIA: HBP Teens Non-residential. Support services and structured classes for pregnant and parenting teens. Case Management and Home Visiting. Centered particularly on the needs of young African-American parents. Multi-phase program. Ages Served:12–2124.DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Social Innovation Project Non-residential. Teens to Doulas: This innovative program trains teens who are already parenting to serve as doulas for women in the community. The goal is for successful teen mothers to share their skills to reduce the risk factors in the community for other mothers.25. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Teen Parent Assessment Program (TPAP)(Non-residential) Financial Issues: This is an assessment program that evaluates teens for independent living in the D.C. area. Usually, teens can apply for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in D.C. , but must be living with their parents to receive this aid. The Teen Assessment program determines on a case by case if the pregnant/parenting teen in an independent or other living situation qualifies for the aid. Service Contact: Teen Parent Assessment Program Contact Phone: (202) 698-6671Contact TTY: 711. If you are unable to get an appointment for the Teen Parent Assessment Program, you may need to get a referral from your school guidance counselor or other social services.26.DELAWARE: Diocese of Wilmington Bayard House27.FLORIDA: (HOUSING) Group Home, Bellview FL, Hands of Mercy Everywhere Hands of Mercy Everywhere. Christian-oriented residence that also offers diverse practical, educational, and therapeutic services to teen mothers. Ages served not specified28.FLORIDA: Hannah's Transitional Living || ANCHORAGE CHILDREN'S HOME || (850) 763-7102 Transitional living apartments for pregnant and parenting young women. Ages 16–2229.FLORIDA: Home Our Mother’s Home. Keeps teen mothers who are in foster care with their children.30.FLORIDA: (Pinellas County) Transitional Living Programs - Family Resources SafePlace2BTOO-Young Moms. (Scroll down the page for maternity services. The first program listed on the page has the same name but is for LGBT youth.) Housing and support. 18 month program. Ages 16–21.31.FLORIDA: Woman to Woman - Children & Family Services Gulf CoasJewish Children & Family Services. Non-residential mentoring and goal-setting for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified.GEORGIA: House of Dawn: Changing Lives, Changing Generations770–477–2385Housing👩‍🎓Educational SupportCareer and Life skillsCounselingAges 13–23GEORGIA: Home | The Living Vine Christian Maternity Home.HousingProgram emphasizes strict Christian environment, so possibly suitable only for committed Christians.Hawaii: Hale Kipa: Independent Living Program808.754.9844Emergency ShelterAges 12–17HAWAII: Neighborhood Helping Pregnant and Parenting Teens Neighborhood Place of Puna. Non-residential. Practical, material and emotional support.37.HAWAII: (HOUSING) Mary Jane Home | Catholic Charities Hawaii The Mary Jane Home. Ages Served: 18 and over.38. IDAHO: (and Eastern Washington) Alexandria's House | Volunteers of America Ages Served: 16–20.39.IDAHO: (Burley) Cassia High School Alternative Public High School. Serves teens who would benefit from an alternative school, including pregnant and parenting teens. Childcare for teen parents provided.40.IDAHO: Marian Pritchett School Marian Pritchett School. (Serving pregnant teens since 1964) Public High School for pregnant and parenting teens. Includes Giraffe Laugh Childcare for students attending Marian Pritchett School. Marian Pritchett - Giraffe Laugh.41.ILLINOS: (HOUSING) (Chicago) response-Ability Pregnant and Parenting Program (RAPPP) The Night Ministry operates 120-day housing programs for youth and for pregnant and parenting young mothers and their children. Call toll-free 877-286-2523. Ages 14–19.42.ILLINOIS: http://theharbour.org/successful-teenseffective-parents.html The Harbour. STEPS Program. Individual subsidized apartments for teens and their children. Parenting classes, counseling and case management. Age range served: not specified.43.INDIANA: Maternity Home With A Heart Hannah’s House. (HOUSING.) Faith-based/Christian. Parenting classes, counseling, referrals to community resources, emotional support. Serves ages 13 up. (Website states youngest resident they have served was 13 and the oldest was 43.)44. Indiana: Project Home IndyResidency for Teenage Mothers (Link leads to application page)HousingMedical CareEducational SupportParenting ClassesLife Skills ClassesAges 15 -19 at admission.45.INDIANA: Young Families of Indiana Network Future Promises. Non-residential school-based support for pregnant and parenting teens.46.INDIANA: (South Bend) Youth Service Bureau of St. Joseph County Young Mom’s Self-Sufficiency Program. (YMSSP) Non-residential support services.47. IOWA: Ruth Harbor - Pregnant? Christian orientation. Counseling, midwife care, doula services, recreation, outings. Ages ?-24. Does not specify minimum age.48.IOWA: Transitional Living for Teen Parents United Action for Youth. (UAC) Housing and other supports. Ages 17–21.49. IOWA: Transitional Living Services - Youth & Shelter Services, Inc. - Iowa50..KANSAS: About Us | Wichita Children's Home 1. Bridges. Housing for pregnant and parenting teen mothers 2. Moving on to Motherhood (MOM-Non-residential case management and support.)52. KENTUCKY: (HOUSING)Mother & Baby Home All God’s Children Mother & Baby Home. Faith-based. Nationally Accredited Childcare program onsite provides care for resident’s babies so they can attend school. Support, therapy, classes. Ages 13–21.53.KENTUCKY: (Louisville) Teenage Parent Program Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program (TAPP). Non-residential. Provides support and services to help pregnant and parenting teens complete their high school educations.54. KENTUCKY: 👩‍⚕️ Young Parents Program (YPP.) Non-residential. Specialized obstetrical care, support and counseling. Ages served: Under age 18.55. LOUISIANA: I'm Pregnant. Now What?Phone : (318) 925-4663Crisis Line : (318) 277-9506Email : [email protected] Sanctuary for Women. Faith-based/Christian. Counseling, goal-setting, career planning, parenting classes, life skills and recreation. Participation in religious activities may be required. Onsite accredited education/certified teacher for High School completion or GED. Ages served: 13–23.56. LOUISIANA: Parenting Jus4me. Non-residential. Support and parenting classes for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified.57. LOUISIANA: http://ttp://www.lighthouseministriesinc.org/ The Lighthouse Child Residential Center. Faith-based. Cares for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Licensed to care for children from birth through age 18.MAINE: FINANCIAL HELP: TANF and Teen Parents58. MAINE: rgh Rumford Group Homes Teens are housed in several different apartments supervised by the program and are provided with various services. Ages 16–21.59. MAINE: Crisis Center | Bangor, ME Shepherd’s Godparent Home. Ages served: teens to thirties.60. MARYLAND: Programp=s for Pregnant Teens and Teen Mothers | Hearts & Homes for Youth Damamli. This program is for pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care or juvenile justice system. The program starts the teen in a specialized foster home and later she lives independently with her child, with support from the program in her own apartment. Age range: 16–20.61. MARYLAND: Housing & Support Saint Ann’s: Grace House, Hope House and Faith House. Residence with onsite High School. Ages 13–21.62. MASSACHUSETTS: Programs Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Single Parent Housing. Transitional Housing for teen parents. Does not specify age range served.63. MASSACHUSETTS: (Boston) St. Mary’s Home Faith-based history but apparently no religious requirements or programming for participants. Housing. Case management, onsite high school completion, parenting classes, therapy. Ages 13–21.64. MICHIGAN: Shelter - Alternatives For Girls Provides emergency shelter for homeless teens and their children. Transitional housing program also available. Website did not mention specific maternity care programs offered. Ages 15—MICHIGAN: Eastpointe. Gianna House now open, but the website isn’t up currently. RESIDENTIAL. Ages 13–17. Contact information will be posted here ASAP>65. MICHIGAN: MI Health Family - MOASH Websites provide information on help for pregnant and parenting teens in Michigan. Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health. (MOASH) PREGNANT & PARENTING TEENS Ages served not specified.66. MICHIGAN: Michigan Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program (MI-APPP) Case Management for pregnant and parenting teens. No are range specified.MINNESOTA: LEGAL RIGHTS OF TEENS: The Rights of Teen ParentsMINNESOTA: A School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens Longfellow High School. Non-residential public high school.MINNESOTA: The Nest: A Maternity Home The Nest. Focuses on ages 18–25 but may accept minors placed by parents. More information soon.MISSISSIPPI: http://mchms.org/pdfs/MCH_Two_of_Us_Brochure_032314_RGB.pdf Two of Us Therapeutic Maternity Home. Full-time licensed nursing staff. Highly specialized intensive care and education for mothers and infants. Ages 10–18.MISSOURI: 👩‍⚕️ https://www.barnesjewish.org/Medical-Services/Obstetrics-Gynecology/Women-Infants/Childbirth-at-Barnes-Jewish/Teen- Pregnancy-Center Barnes Jewish Hospital. Non-residential services, including specialized obstetrical care, classes and support. Ages 17 and under.MISSOURI: Mother's Refuge - Supporting Young Mother (HOUSING). Ages 12-21. Does not appear to focus on excessive religious pressureMISSOURI: Nativity House KC Faith-based. Roman Catholic.MISSOURI: Youth Services - reStart reStart Youth Services. Four transitional housing units for pregnant and parenting teens. Ages 16–21.MISSOURI: Home The Sparrow's Nest. (HOUSING) Ages 19 and under.MONTANA: Blackfeet Teen Pregnancy/Parenting Coalition Teen Pregnancy Parenting Coalition. Non-residential. GED tutoring. Case Management. Peer support. Nutritional Counseling. Childcare. Ages Served not specified.MONTANA: Mountain Home Montana Non-religious, comprehensive program. Housing. Bonnie Hamilton Home. (Group living) Mountain Home Apartments. (Individuals living with child.) Licensed Therapy. 24–7 mental health crisis line. Other resources. Ages 16–29.MONTANA: Nurtured baby, Healthy adult, Strong community Florence Crittenton . (Needs updating)NEBRASKA: CARES. ( info needs updating-program may be closed.)NEBRASKA: Center for Healthy Families Nebraska Mental Health/Project Harmony. Non-residential. Support services for pregnant and parenting teens. No age range specified. (Omaha residents only).NEBRASKA:Teen & Young Parent Program - Nebraska Early Childhood CollaborativeNNEVADA: “Living Grace” website is not available as of 8/15/2019. Will update as I get more information.NEVADA: Pregnant and Parenting Teen Saint Jude’s Ranch. Most residents are youth placed here by state social service and juvenile justice agencies.NEVADA: Contact Casa De Vida. (HOUSING) —More information available soon.NEW HAMPSHIRE: (Littleton)TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (HOUSING). Case management, GED/Highschool completion, parenting classes and other services for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults. Ages served 18–21.NEW HAMPSHIRE: Our Place | Catholic Charities New Hampshire Our Place. Non-residential Faith-based. (Roman Catholic) Prenatal, breastfeeding, parenting and other classes and resources for parents of all ages.NEW JERSEY: http://ttps://www.cge-nj.org/program-offerings/adolescent-program/ The Center for Great Expectations (Adolescent Program) (HOUSING) AOther programs for women also available. Licensed Clinical Staff. Ages served: 13–18,NEW JERSEY: Capable Adolescent Mothers Crossroads Programs. (HOUSING) Intensive Long-term program. For General Program Information regarding Crossroads’ programs and services, please contact Michelle Wright at 609 880 0210, ext 109. Ages: 16–21.NEW JERSEY:services and Programs that help young homeless mothers and pregnant women Raphael’s Life House, Inc. Housing, licensed counseling, parenting classes, GED completion and career development. Ages served: Not specified.NEW MEXICO: Catholic Charities of Gallup NM (HOUSING)Casa San Jose. Residential care for pregnant and parenting teens. Ages Served: Not specified.NEW MEXICO: 14 to 17 Information Page Information from Pegasus Legal Services for Children about legal rights of minors in New Mexico, including teen pregnancy and parenting.NEW YORK: Residential Services Catholic Charities Community Maternity Services. Multiple programs: Heery Center-Ages 12–21, focuses on pregnant and parenting girls placed by juvenile and state agencies. Joyce Center is the transitional living maternity home.NEW YORK: Pregnant/Parenting Teens Children’s Village-Inwood House. Age range served not specified.NEW YORK: (Rochester) http://ttp://centerforyouth.net/index.php?cID=89 The Center For Youth. Chrysalis Program. 18 month program. Residential setting for pregnant or parenting young women. Ages 16–21.NEW YORK: Supportive Housing (Brooklyn) Diaspora Community Services/ “Mother’s Gaining Hope”. Federally funded “Maternity Group Home”. (MGH) I have not further details on ages served or its programs at this writing.NEW YORK: SERVICES SUSPENDED DUE TO BUDGET. (Concerned readers please consider donating. )(Niagara region) https://hannahhouse.ca/ Ages: through age 24. No lower age limit stated.NEW YORK: Regina Maternity Services Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre. Housing For pregnant teens and their children. Regina Residence is a structured program with case management. Mary Residence is supported independent living for graduates of Regina Residence. Ages 11–24.NORTH CAROLINA: http://www.angelhousematernityhome.org/admission_information0.aspx Angel House Maternity Home. Minimum Age: 17NORTH CAROLINA: Services for single, pregnant, & non-pregnant teens, women and their families | Florence Crittenton Services | Charlotte, NC Multiple residential programs. Ages 10 and up.NORTH DAKOTA: St. Gianna Maternity Home (HOUSING) Residents required to participate in prayers and attend Mass. Ages Served: Serves minors but does not specify age range.NORTH DAKOTA: Home | The Perry Center Serves minors placed by parents, but does not give age-range. Christian oriented services, apparently placing emphasis on evangelism but also offering life-skills and other practical services.OHIO: (Franklin County) The Center for Healthy Families The Center for Healthy Families. Non-residential. School and Community based services for pregnant and parenting teens offered at four high schools. Services for teen fathers also included. Ages: 13–19.OHIO: (Mentor, Ohio) Pregnancy - Hannah’s Home. Minimum age 18. More information available soon.OHIO: The Highlands - Shelter Care (HOUSING) Residential care for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Ages 14–20.OHIO: (Columbus) 👩‍⚕️Teen and Pregnant Program Nationwide Children’s (Hospital). TaP. Non-residential. Comprehensive medical care, classes, counseling, referrals for pregnant girls and women ages 21.5 and under.OHIO: WIC (Supplemental food for Women, Infant Children) WIC - American Pregnancy Association\http://file:///C:/Users/17074/AppData/Local/Pa/TempState/Downloads/158843%20(1).pdfOKLAHOMA: Broken Arrow Public Schools Mentoring Healthy Parents (Formerly Margaret Hudson Program). Non-residential. Support for pregnant and parenting teens. Age range not specified.OKLAHOMA: J.A.M.E.S., INC. WEBSITE CURRENTLY DOWN> CHECK BACK SOON> Educational support and college scholarships for pregnant and parenting teens. High School seniors and college students.OKLAHOMA: http://s://www.choctawnation.com/tribal-services/member-services/choctaw-support-expectant-and-parenting-teens-sept Choctaw Support for Expectant and Parenting Teens. (SEPT) Services for teens pregnant with or parenting a Native American child under the age of one year. Must live within the 10.5 county service area of Choctaw Nation. Ages 13–21.OKLAHOMA: (Owassa) Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children . (HOUSING) (Owassa) Maternity Cottage and transitional living apartments for Mother and Child Program. Participants must attend Southern Baptist church while in residence. Age range served not specified.OKLAHOMA: Transitional Living Program (HOUSING) Housing offered to youth, including pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Ages 16–21.OREGON: Safe Haven Maternity Home Safe Haven Maternity Home.OREGON: Dedicated to helping young mothers Saint Child. Housing for pregnant girls and women and their infants. May stay for up to a year after birth of baby. Faith-based (Christian). Counseling, education, job training, life skills and other supports. Participants are offered bible study and other Christian activities but are apparently not coerced. Ages 14–24.Pennsylvania: (Lansdale) (HOUSING) Home Morning Star Maternity Home. Ages 13–25.Pennsylvania: Maternity & Pregnancy Services - Catholic Charities of Harrisburg PAPENNSYLVANIA: http://ttps://www.valleyyouthhouse.org/programs/transitional-housing/maternity-group-home-mgh/RHODE ISLAND: (HOUSING) (may be for 18 and above only) Little Flower Home - Serving RI & Southern MA - Housing for 'Pregnant Homeless' WomenRHODE ISLAND: About Nowell Leadership Academy (Public Charter High School) For Pregnant and Parenting teens.SOUTH CAROLINA: Help for pregnant and parenting young women in South CarolinTENNESSEE: Comprehensive Resource Center The Hagar Center. Non-residential. Classes, support and material assistance.102. TENNESSEE: http://ttps://mercymultiplied.com/about-us/ Mercy Multiplied. Faith-based/Non-denominational Christian. Residential programs are located in four states for girls including a facility in Nashville, Tennessee. The programs are designed to work with on many issues, including pregnancy. The website states that the program does not demand that the pregnant mother relinquish her child to adoption, however, neither is there any indication of housing or services offered for the mother/child family. Adoption services prominently noted on website. Counseling is strongly centered on Christian teachings, although Mercy Multiplied states that its counselors are Master’s Level or graduate student interns. Counseling process includes/demands “commitment to Christ”. This program might be appropriate for young women who of their own free will wish to pursue Christianity. Ages Served: Unknown at this writing.107. TEXAS: Annunciation House: Apply for Services108. TEXAS: Apply | LifeHouse Houston. Housing and other support. Strong focus on Christian evangelizing. Ages 12 and up. (Other services for non-residential clients also available.)109. TEXAS: Teen Parenting Help - Jane's Due Process Information and support for pregnant teenagers concerning Texas legal rights.110.TEXAS: Viola's House111. UTAH: 👩‍🎓Horizonte Instruction and Training Center. Young Parent Program. Programs Non-residential. High School completion and vocational education with onsite childcare provided by Head Start. Parenting and other skills. Flexible scheduling. Contact Person: Kathy Williams (801) 578-8574 ext. 233.112. UTAH: Teen Mother & Child Program Non-residential. University of Utah/Teen Mother and Child Program. Obstetrical care/Nurse-Midwives. Social and psychological support and referrals for other needed services. Ages served: 19 and younger.113. UTAH: YWCA Of Salt Lake City. Referrals to Transitional Housing. No other details as of this writing.114. VERMONT: Family Literacy Center (Non-residential) Educational center for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults. Infants may attend classes with parents until they are four months old and after that Onsite Nationally Accredited childcare is available full-time. Onsite licensed therapy, parenting and nutrition classes and other social supports. Ages served: High school freshmen age through age 25.115. VIRGINIA: Grace Home Ministries. (HOUSING) Program is long-term and residents encouraged to stay for as long as two years with their babies. Faith based/Christian. Program includes participation in Christian experiences. However, Grace Home states: “We believe religion is a matter of personal conviction; therefore, we don’t put any pressure on program participants in matters of personal faith or beliefs. Mentoring, childcare classes, case management. Ages 1–20.116. VIRGINIA: (Lynchburg) ADOPTION-ORIENTED! Liberty Godparent Maternity Home. Services | Liberty Godparent Home If you have decided for adoption AND you are a Baptist or of a similar faith, you might consider this facility, as its emphasis is on adoption. The program does offer “Mommy and Me” support if you decide on raising your baby yourself, however, the emphasis is clearly adoption. Faith-based. (Baptist) Residents attend Thomas Road Baptist church. Other services from their website: All residents are required to attend school, pursue a GED, or participate in vocational training. Classes are offered off site at Liberty Christian Academy through Liberty University Online Academy (grades 6-12). Tutoring services for GED and SAT exams are available as needed. To help each young lady build a positive future, the LGH staff is committed to educating the residents on Life Skills and other topics such as Decision-Making, Parenting, Adoption, and Nutrition. About Us Overview | Liberty Godparent Home Ages Served: Not specified.VIRGINIA: (Fairfax County) Second Story for Young Mothers - assistance for mothersSecond Story for Young Mothers. (HOUSING) Residential services offered through independent living in townhouses for young mothers between the ages of 18–21. Pregnant and parenting teens between the ages of 16 and 18 receive non-residential community based support, education and services. Follow-up support and case management also offered. 24/7 Crisis Hotline - Call 1-800-SAY-TEEN or text “TEENHELP” to 855-11 TTY 711VIRGINIA: (Alexandria) Keep it 360 | The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) T.C. Futures. (Non-residential.) From website: The T.C. Futures Group provides parenting meetings and developmental playgroups specifically for Alexandria’s teenage parents and their children. Parents learn about positive parenting skills, child development, and local resources. The group meets every other week after school at T.C. Williams High School. Participation is not limited to T.C. Williams students; all teenage parents in Alexandria are invited to attend. Participation is free, and Spanish translation is available. For more information, contact David Wynne, TC Williams Social Worker, at 703.824.6800.VIRGINIA (Fredricksburg) Mary's Shelter Mary’s Shelter. (HOUSING) Faith-based. Provides residential care for up to three years. Minimum Age: 18.VIRGINIA: Mommy and Me Program. ( A program component of “Youth For Tomorrow”.). (RESIDENTIAL/HOUSING) Faith based/Christian. Intensive program for pregnant teens and their infants. Education for teens at accredited school on campus, health care, parenting classes, in-house therapy and nursing staff. ) Admissions are either by court placement or social service agency referral. Teens may stay until their child is four-years-old. Ages: 12–18.VIRGINIA: (Winchester.) About | New Eve Maternity Home New Eve Maternity Home. (HOUSING). Faith-based/Roman Catholic. Help with education, employment, life skills. Ages served: 18 and above. (?)VIRGINIA: (Norfolk) THIS LISTING NOT ACTIVE CURRENTLY. WILL UPDATE ASAP. Eastern Virginia Medical School. Non-residential. Specialized obstetrical care. Classes, parenting skills, emotional support, transportation to prenatal appointments.WASHINGTON: (Seattle area.) Housing Cocoon House. (HOUSING) Housing for pregnant and parenting teens and their children. (Short -term and long-term.) Support for education, life skills and employment. Ages 12–17.WASHINGTON: (Spokane) Alexandria's House | Volunteers of America (HOUSING). “Spacious historic home”. Mentoring, support, doulas, other services. Ages: 16–20.WASHINGTON: (Spokane)http://ttp://gracesonhousingfoundation.org/ Hope and Housing for Teen Moms and their Children Graceson Housing Foundation. (Housing.) Faith-based/Christian but spiritual activities are left up to choice. This program is strong on community and nurturing. Classes, life skills, and employments skills also offered. Ages 13-18.WASHINGTON (Seattle) 👩‍⚕️ "Family Medicine Residency Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Clinic. (A program of Kaiser Permanente but you DO NOT have to be a Kaiser Permanente member to receive services.) Non-residential. Accepts Medicaid and other insurance. Prenatal care with delivery at Swedish First Hill Hospital. Offers help getting medical care coverage, nutritious food, childbirth classes, parenting classes and well-child care for the baby until two years of age. (Well-child care is only for the babies whose mothers used the Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Clinic for their prenatal care and delivery.) Open Tuesdays and Thursdays. Drop by or call: Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Campus, West Building 206-326-2656. On the bus line. Ages served: Not specified.WEST VIRGINIA: Crittenton Services, Inc. A Florence Crittenton program. (More information to follow)WISCONSIN: (Milwaukee) Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program (PPYP). Non-residential public school-based support.WISCONSIN: (Sheboygan) 👩‍🎓 Sheboygan Area School District Non-residential. TAPP/Parenting Lab. School-based support for pregnant and parenting teens. Guidance counselor assists pregnant students with educational plan/ONSITE childcare/parenting lab for teen parents. Classes designed/flexible to accommodate pregnancy related issues. Pregnant or parenting students in Sheboygan contact your school guidance counselor to access these services.

The controversy centres on the fact that amalgams contain mercury. In high enough concentrations, mercury is toxic.Some make the point that amalgams make people sick from allergies to neurotoxicity to a whole host of other systemic alimentsThere has been a great deal of bunk science done on amalgam.I will simply post some key concensus documents which also reference reputable science with respect to the use of dental amalgam.the overall consensus is that amalgam has been used for more than 200 years and except for a small number of patients who might have sensitivities to it, it is safe.Another key point made across the documents is that wholsesale removal of amalgam filling from patient is not indicated.Statement on Dental AmalgamStatement on Dental AmalgamFor dental patients: Please visit the ADA’s MouthHealthy website for information about amalgam and silver-colored fillings.Dental amalgam is considered a safe, affordable and durable material that has been used to restore the teeth of more than 100 million Americans. It contains a mixture of metals such as silver, copper and tin, in addition to mercury, which binds these components into a hard, stable and safe substance. Dental amalgam has been studied and reviewed extensively, and has established a record of safety and effectiveness.The FDI World Dental Federation and the World Health Organization concluded in a 1997 consensus statementi: “No controlled studies have been published demonstrating systemic adverse effects from amalgam restorations.” Another conclusion of the report stated that, aside from rare instances of local side effects of allergic reactions, “the small amount of mercury released from amalgam restorations, especially during placement and removal, has not been shown to cause any … adverse health effects.”In 1998, the ADA’s Council on Scientific Affairsii published its first major review of the scientific literature on dental amalgam which concluded that “based on available scientific information, amalgam continues to be a safe and effective restorative material.” The Council’s report also stated, “There currently appears to be no justification for discontinuing the use of dental amalgam.”In an articleiii published in the February 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, researchers report finding “no significant association of Alzheimer’s Disease with the number, surface area or history of having dental amalgam restorations” and “no statistically significant differences in brain mercury levels between subjects with Alzheimer’s Disease and control subjects.”A 2003 paper published in the New England Journal of Medicineiv states, “Patients who have questions about the potential relation between mercury and degenerative diseases can be assured that the available evidence shows no connection.”In 2004, an expert panel reviewed the peer-reviewed, scientific literature published from 1996 to December 2003 on potential adverse human health effects caused by dental amalgam and published a report. The review was conducted by the Life Sciences Research Office (LSRO) and funded by the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The resulting report states that, “The current data are insufficient to support an association between mercury release from dental amalgam and the various complaints that have been attributed to this restoration material. These complaints are broad and nonspecific compared to the well-defined set of effects that have been documented for occupational and accidental elemental mercury exposures. Individuals with dental amalgam-attributed complaints had neither elevated urinary mercury nor increased prevalence of hypersensitivity to dental amalgam or mercury when compared with controls.” The full report is available from LSRO (The Life Sciences Research Office (LSRO)). A summary of the review is published in Toxicological Reviews.vIn 2006, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and Environmental Health Perspectives published the results of two independent clinical trials designed to examine the effects of mercury release from amalgam on the central and peripheral nervous systems and kidney function. The authors concluded that “there were no statistically significant differences in adverse neuropsychological or renal effects observed over the 5-year period in children whose caries are restored using dental amalgam or composite materials”;vi,vii and “children who received dental restorative treatment with amalgam did not, on average, have statistically significant differences in neurobehavioral assessments or in nerve conduction velocity when compared with children who received resin composite materials without amalgam. These findings, combined with the trend of higher treatment need later among those receiving composite, suggest that amalgam should remain a viable dental restorative option for children.”viiiIn May 2008, a Scientific Committee of the European Commission addressed safety concerns for patients, professionals and the use of alternative restorative materials.ix The committee concluded that dental amalgams are effective and safe, both for patients and dental personnel and also noted that alternative materials are not without clinical limitations and toxicological hazards.The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs prepared a comprehensive literature review (PDF) on amalgam safety that summarized the state of the evidence for amalgam safety (from January 2004 to June 2010). Based on the results of this review, the Council reaffirmed at its July 2009 meeting that the scientific evidence supports the position that amalgam is a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients.On July 28, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final rule on encapsulated dental amalgam classifying amalgam and its component parts, elemental mercury and powder alloy, as a class II medical device. Previously there was no classification for encapsulated amalgam, and dental mercury (class I) and alloy (class II) were classified separately. This new regulation places encapsulated amalgam in the same class of devices as most other restorative materials, including composite and gold fillings. At the same time, the FDA also reaffirmed the agency’s position that the material is a safe and effective restorative option for patients.The CSA supports ongoing research on the safety of existing dental materials and in the development of new materials, and continues to believe that amalgam is a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients.Referencesi. FDI Policy Statement/WHO Consensus Statement on Dental Amalgam. September 1997. Accessed October 9, 2013.ii. ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. Dental Amalgam: Update on Safety Concerns. J Am Dent Assoc. 1998;129:494-503. Accessed October 9, 2013.iii. Saxe SR, Wekstein MW, Kryscio RJ, et al. Alzheimer’s disease, dental amalgam and mercury. J Am Dent Assoc. 1999;130(2):191-9. Accessed October 9, 2013. (Abstract)iv. Clarkson TW, Magos L, Myers GJ. The toxicology of mercury – Current exposures and clinical manifestations. N Engl J Med. 2003;349:1731-7.v. Brownawell AM, Berent S, Brent RL, et al. The potential adverse health effects of dental amalgam. Toxicol Rev 2005;24(1):1-10. Accessed October 9, 2013. (Abstract)vi. Bellinger DC, Trachtenberg F, Barregard L, et al. Neuropsychological and renal effects of dental amalgam in children: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2006;295(15):1775-83. Accessed October 9, 2013. (Abstract)vii. Bellinger DC, Daniel D, Trachtenberg F, Tavares M, McKinlay S. Dental amalgam restorations and children’s neuropsychological function: the New England Children’s Amalgam Trial. Environ Health Perspect 2007;115(3):443-6. Accessed October 9, 2013.viii. DeRouen TA, Martin MD, Leroux BG, et al. Neurobehavioral effects of dental amalgam in children: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2006;295(15):1784-92. Accessed October 9, 2013.ix. European Commission: Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks. The Safety of Dental Amalgam and Alternative Dental Restoration Materials for Patients and Users May 6, 2008. Accessed October 9, 2013.Another link from the Government of Canada which looks at amalgam safety and delves into amalgam policies from other countries:The Safety of Dental AmalgamStatement from the Canadian Dental Association on amalgam:https://www.cda-adc.ca/_files/position_statements/amalgam.pdfA paper on this controversy:The Dental Amalgam Toxicity Fear: A Myth or ActualityToxicology InternationalMedknow PublicationsThe Dental Amalgam Toxicity Fear: A Myth or ActualityMonika Rathore, Archana Singh, and Vandana A. PantAdditional article informationAbstractAmalgam has been used in dentistry since about 150 years and is still being used due to its low cost, ease of application, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effect. When aesthetics is not a concern it can be used in individuals of all ages, in stress bearing areas, foundation for cast-metal and ceramic restorations and poor oral hygiene conditions. Besides all, it has other advantages like if placed under ideal conditions, it is more durable and long lasting and least technique sensitive of all restorative materials, but, concern has been raised that amalgam causes mercury toxicity. Mercury is found in the earth's crust and is ubiquitous in the environment, so even without amalgam restorations everyone is exposed to small but measurable amount of mercury in blood and urine. Dental amalgam restorations may raise these levels slightly, but this has no practical or clinical significance. The main exposure to mercury from dental amalgam occurs during placement or removal of restoration in the tooth. Once the reaction is complete less amount of mercury is released, and that is far below the current health standard. Though amalgam is capable of producing delayed hypersensitivity reactions in some individuals, if the recommended mercury hygiene procedures are followed the risks of adverse health effects could be minimized. For this review the electronic databases and PubMed were used as data sources and have been evaluated to produce the facts regarding amalgam's safety and toxicity.Keywords: Amalgam, mercury, myth, restoration, safety, tooth, toxicityINTRODUCTIONAmalgam, an alloy of mercury (Hg), is an excellent and versatile dental restorative material. It has been used in dentistry since 150 years due to its low cost, ease of application, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effects.[1] Popularity of amalgam as restorative material is decreasing these days due to concerns about detrimental health effects, environmental pollution, and aesthetics.[2] The metallic colour of amalgam does not blend with the natural tooth colour so patients and professionals preferred tooth-coloured restorative material for cavity filling in carious teeth for better aesthetics. Researchers agree that amalgam restorations leach mercury into the mouth, but consistent findings are not available to report whether it has any significant health risk.[3] In this review, an attempt has been made to summarize that there is no convincing evidences pointed out to adverse health effects due to dental amalgam restorations and can be used as a preferred restorative material where aesthetics is not a concern.Amalgam composition and historical backgroundAmalgam consists of an alloy of silver, copper, tin, and zinc combined with mercury. Unreacted alloy particles of silver-tin are considered as gamma phase. These particles combine with mercury and form a matrix consisting of gamma-1(Ag2Hg3) and gamma-2 phases. (Sn7-8Hg). The gamma-2 phase is responsible for early fracture and failure of amalgam restorations. Hence, copper was introduced to avoid gamma-2 phase, replacing the tin-mercury phase with a copper-tin phase (Cu5Sn5).[4] Louis Regnart, known as the ‘Father of Amalgam’, improved on boiled mineral cement by adding mercury, which greatly reduced the high temperature originally needed to pour the cement on to a tooth. In 1890s GV Black gave a formula for dental amalgam that provided clinically acceptable performance and remained unchanged virtually for 70 years. In 1959, Dr Wilmer Eames[5] promoted low mercury-to-alloy mixing ratio. The mercury-to-amalgam ratio, dropped from 8:5 to 1:1. The formula was again changed in 1963, when amalgam consisting of a high-copper dispersion alloy was introduced.[6] It was later discovered that the improved strength of the amalgam was a result of the additional copper forming a copper–tin phase that was less susceptible to corrosion than the tin–mercury phase in the earlier amalgam.[7]Modern amalgams are produced from precapsulated (preproportioned) alloy consisting of 42% to 45% mercury by weight. These are convenient to use and provide some degree of assurance that the material has not been not contaminated before use or spilled before mixing.[8]Amalgam controversy and amalgam warIn the year 1843, the American Society of Dental Surgeons (ASDS), founded in New York City, declared use of amalgam to be malpractice because of the fear of mercury poisoning in patients and dentists and forced all its members to sign a pledge to abstain from using it.[9] It was the beginning of the amalgam war.[10] Because of its stance against amalgam, membership in the American Society of Dental Surgeons declined, and due to the loss of members, the organization was disbanded in 1856 thus resulting in the end of the amalgam war. In 1859, the American Dental Association (ADA) was founded and it did not forbid use of amalgam.[11] The ADA position on the safety of amalgam has remained consistent since its foundation. In 1920s inferences were made that mercury was not tightly bound in amalgam so its use was discouraged. In 1991, National Institute of Health-National Institute for Dental Research (NIH-NIDR) and FDA concluded that there was no basis for claims that amalgam was a significant health hazard,[12] but claims of amalgam hazards continued to be published in non-scientific journals, and occasionally in scientific journals.Mercury exposure from amalgam restorationsMercury is ubiquitous in environment and humans are routinely exposed via air, water, and food.[8] Exposure to mercury in human individuals with amalgam restoration occurs during the placement or removal of dental restorations. Once the reaction is complete, less amount of mercury is released, that is far below the current health standard.[8] The exposure to mercury from restoration depends on the number and size of restoration, composition, chewing habits, food texture, grinding, brushing of teeth, and many other physiological factors. As a vapour, metallic mercury could be inhaled and absorbed through the alveoli in the lungs at 80% efficiency. It is the main route of entry of mercury into the human body, whereas the absorption of metallic mercury through skin or via the gastrointestinal tract is very poor.[8] The organic compounds of mercury such as methyl mercury are readily absorbed by many organisms and accumulate as it passes into food chain. Research on monkeys had shown that mercury released from amalgam restorations is absorbed and accumulated in various organs such as kidney, brain, lung, liver, gastro-intestinal tract, and the exocrine glands.[13] The organic form of mercury was also found to have crossed the placental barrier in pregnant rats[14] and proven to cross the gastrointestinal mucosa when amalgam particles are swallowed at the time of amalgam insertion or during removal of old amalgam fillings,[15] whereas the inorganic form of Mercury ions (Hg+2) circulate into the blood stream but hardly cross the blood–brain barrier and placental barrier.Mercury does not collect irreversibly in human tissues. The average half life of mercury is 55 days for transport through the body to the point of excretion. Thus mercury that came into the body years ago may no longer be present in the body.[8]Diagnostic methods to detect levels of mercury in bodyToxicity from mercury could occur through exposure to organic, inorganic, and elemental forms of mercury. According to decreasing toxicity of mercury it is classified as organomercury (methyl and ethyl mercury), mercury vapour, and inorganic mercury. Various diagnostic methods exist to detect the level of mercury in body, including tests for blood, urine, stool, saliva, hair analysis, and others. These tests may determine if mercury is in the body and/or if it is being excreted. A study[16] conducted by measuring the intraoral vapour levels over a 24-h period in patients with at least nine amalgam restorations showed that the average daily dose of inhaled mercury vapour was 1.7 μg (range from 0.4 to 4.4 μg), which is approximately 1% of the threshold limit value of 300 to 500 μg/day established by WHO, based on a maximum allowable environmental level of 50 μg/day in the workplace. According to Berdouses et al.[17] mercury exposure from amalgam can be greatly increased by personal habits such as, chewing and brushing.Berglund,[18] in 1993, determined the daily release of mercury vapour from amalgam restorations made of alloys of the same types and batches as those used in the in vitro part of the study. He carried out a series of measurements on each of eight subjects before and after amalgam therapy and found that none of the subjects were occupationally exposed to mercury. The amalgam therapy, that is, from 3 to 6 occlusal amalgam surfaces and from 3 to 10 surfaces in total-had very little influence on the intraoral release of mercury vapour, regardless of amalgam type used, effects was not found on mercury levels in urine and saliva. Rapid and reliable detection of mercury in blood and urine resulting from environmental and occupational exposure may be carried out by using atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry.[19] Measurements of total mercury in the urine tend to reflect inorganic mercury exposure and total mercury levels in whole blood are more indicative of methyl mercury exposure. Commonly two types of urine tests have been used in which one is the unprovoked mercury test that does not use a pharmaceutical mercury chelator and only reflects the amount of mercury the body naturally removes via the urine. The other is the urine mercury challenge (provoked) test, which uses a pharmaceutical chelator to remove the mercury captured via the kidneys/urine pathway. Both methylmercury and inorganic mercury can also be measured in breast milk. The relative proportions of these species depend on the frequency of fish consumption, dental amalgam status, and occupational exposures. In a study for comparison of hair, nails, and urine for biological monitoring of low level inorganic mercury exposure in dental workers, the data suggested that urine mercury remains the most practical and sensitive means of monitoring low level occupational exposure to inorganic mercury.[20]Various related studiesIn this review electronic databases and PubMed have been used for data sources and articles from peer reviewed journals and various organizations including WHO (1991), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (1999), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,1997), the National Research Council (NRC) (2000), the Institute of Medicine (2001; 2004) and Life Science Research Office (LSRO) (2004) have been evaluated to investigate the biochemical, behavioural, and/or toxicological effects resulting from exposure to amalgam, mercury vapour (HgO), inorganic mercury (Hg2+), or organic mercury (methyl and ethyl mercury). The LSRO search was limited to in vivo studies on humans relevant to amalgam and biochemical, behavioural and/or toxicological effects as health effects in laboratory animals do not reliably predict health effects in humans.Effects of prenatal mercury exposureNonionized mercury is capable of crossing through lipid layers at membrane barriers of the brain and placenta, is oxidised within these tissues and is slowly removed. This fact has become the basis for claims of neuromuscular problems in patients with amalgam restorations.[8] Removing these restorations do not eliminate exposure to mercury. Maternal amalgam restoration results in in utero exposure to low levels of elemental mercury. There is no evidence that exposure to mercury has been associated with any adverse pregnancy outcomes or health effects in the newborn and infants. In a prospective study consisting of 72 pregnant women, it was found that the number and surface areas of amalgam restorations positively influenced the concentration of mercury in amniotic fluid. The levels of mercury detected in amniotic fluid were low and no adverse outcomes were observed during the pregnancy or in the newborns.[21] Blood samples obtained from umbilical cord had no significant mercury levels considered to be hazardous for neurodevelopmental effects in children using the EPA reference dose (5.8 μg/L in cord blood).[22] To find co-relation between mercury exposure from amalgam restorations placed during pregnancy and low-birth weight 1,117 women with low birth weight infants were compared with random sample of 4,468 women who gave birth to infants with normal birth weight. Women (4.9%) had at least one amalgam restoration placed during pregnancy. These women were not at greater risk for a low birth weight infant and neither were women who had 4 to 11 amalgam restorations placed.[23] In a study conducted by Daniels[24] 90% of the women received dental care during pregnancy. Having more restorations placed at time of conception did not negatively affect pregnancy or birth outcome. Mean umbilical cord mercury concentration was slightly higher in women who had dental care. However, cord mercury concentrations did not differ significantly among mothers in relation to amalgam restoration during pregnancy or by the number of amalgams in place prior to pregnancy. Overall, amalgam restorations were not associated with negative birth outcomes or delayed language development. They stated that amalgam restorations in girls and women of reproductive age should be used with caution to avoid prenatal mercury exposure, although there were no adverse effects seen.Health effects of amalgam in childrenThe Children's Amalgam Trial is a randomized trial, to address potential impact of mercury from amalgam restorations on neuropsychological and renal function in children. Bellinger et al.[25] conducted a study on 534 New England children, aged 6–10 years for 5 years. All subjects were in need of at least two posterior occlusal restorations. Participants were randomized to receive either amalgam or composite restoration at baseline and at subsequent visits. The primary endpoint was to assess the 5-year change in IQ scores. Secondary endpoints included measures of other neuropsychological assessments and renal functioning. In the 5-year follow-up period the investigators conducted multiple assessments of IQ score, memory index, and urinary albumin. No statistically significant differences were reported in neuropsychological or renal effects observed in the children who had amalgam restorations compared to those with composite restorations.In another study, authors have concluded that there was no difference in the neuropsychological function of the children who received amalgam restorations compared to the children with composite restorations.[26] A dose-effect analysis of children's exposure to amalgam and neuropsychological function was also evaluated in the children's amalgam trial. The authors examined a sample of children with substantial unmet dental needs using a dose–effect analysis. There was no significant association between neuropsychological outcomes and mercury exposure. The authors concluded that there appeared to be no detectable adverse neuropsychological outcomes in children attributable to the use of amalgam restorations.[27] The relation between amalgam and the psychosocial status of children was also assessed as a part of the New England Children's Amalgam Trial (NECAT). The two groups of children were examined for psychosocial outcomes. It was carried out using both a parent-completed “Child Behaviour Checklist” and children's self-reports and concluded that there was no evidence associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes in the 5-year period following amalgam placement.[28]Kingman et al.[29] studied correlation between exposure to amalgam and neurological functions. No significant associations between amalgam exposure and clinical neurological signs of abnormal tremor, coordination, gait, strength, sensation or muscle stretch reflexes or for any level of peripheral neuropathy in the subjects have been observed. A significant association was detected between amalgam exposure and the continuous vibro-tactile sensation response. The study reported that this association was a subclinical finding that was not associated with symptoms, clinically evident signs of neuropathy or any functional impairment.In the Children's Amalgam Trial, one of the secondary endpoints included renal functioning. The investigators assessed changes on markers of glomerular and tubular kidney function and urinary mercury levels. They found no significant differences between the treatment groups and no significant effects related to the number of dental amalgam restorations on the markers. Children in both treatment groups experienced micro albuminuria, but the prevalence was higher in amalgam group. The authors concluded that the increase in micro albuminuria may be random, but should be further evaluated.[30] The other safety trial was conducted in Lisbon, Portugal[27] in which a randomized controlled clinical trial carried out in 507 children 8- to 10-years old at baseline. They were evaluated for several years thereafter to determine if any health changes occurred following restorations with amalgam or composites. On carrying out annual standardized tests of memory, attention, physical coordination, and velocity of nerve conduction, the scientists did not detect a pattern of decline in the test scores of individual children who received amalgam restorations. They found a trend of higher treatment need in children receiving composite, thus suggesting that amalgam should remain a viable dental restorative option for children. The investigators performed annual clinical neurological examinations to assess neurobehavioral and neurological effects. The authors concluded that amalgam exposure had no adverse neurological outcomes.[31]The 7 years of longitudinal data provide extensive evidence about relative safety of amalgam in dental treatment. Substantial amalgam exposure did lead to creatinine adjusted urinary mercury levels that were higher in the amalgam group. Children with amalgam restorations had slightly elevated levels of mercury in their urine, measuring on average 1.5 μg/L of urine for the first two years and levelling off to 1.0 μg/L or less thereafter. However, these values fall within the background level of 0–4 μg/L, which is usual for an average person not exposed to industrial or other known sources of mercury.[32] Thus, the longitudinal studies on the use of amalgam in children did not suggest any negative effects on neuropsychological function or renal function within the 5-year follow-up period. It was reported that urinary mercury concentrations were highly correlated with both the number of amalgam restorations and the time since placement in children. The finding suggested that there may be sex-related differences in mercury excretion. They found that females have significant increase in the rate of mercury excreted in urine than males. Thus, this association might confer a lower mercury toxicity risks in females.[33] Dunn et al.[34] evaluated scalp, hair, and urine mercury content of children collected over the 5-year period, mean hair mercury level was 0.3–0.4 μg/g and mean urinary mercury level was 0.7–0.9 μg/g creatinine. The authors reported that use of chewing gum in the presence of amalgam restoration was a predictor of higher urinary mercury levels. Data suggested that amalgam-associated mercury exposure might be reduced by avoidance of gum-chewing in the presence of amalgam restorations.Sixty children were studied to assess urinary mercury excretion and its relation to amalgam restoration and fish consumption. Children with amalgam restorations had significantly higher urinary mercury levels compared to children with non-amalgam restorations. The urinary mercury levels in the amalgam group were well below levels that are known to cause adverse health effects.[35]Health effects related to mercury exposure in adultsAn investigation on 20,000 people in the New Zealand Defence Force between years 1977–1997 was done to find out association between amalgam restorations and disorders related with nervous system and kidney. No significant correlation between amalgam restorations and chronic fatigue syndrome or kidney disease was observed. A slightly elevated risk for multiple sclerosis was reported, but may have been due to confounding variables.[36] In another study, where few patients believed that their amalgam restoration made them ill, medical examination including physical examination, electrocardiogram, abdominal sonography, and blood chemistry was done. The study concluded that symptoms of the patients were due to psychological factors. There was no connection between the mercury levels in the patient's blood, urine, and saliva and their symptoms.[37] The association between amalgam and multiple sclerosis was assessed via a systematic review and meta-analysis. Three case control studies and one cohort study met their inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed a slight nonstatistically significant increase between the presence of amalgam restorations and multiple sclerosis. The study does not provide evidence for or against an association.[38]Halbach et al.[39] evaluated the internal exposure to amalgam-related mercury and estimated the amalgam-related absorbed dose of mercury. The integrated mercury absorbed from amalgam restorations was estimated at up to 3 μg per day for an average number of restorations and 7.4 μg per day for a high amalgam load. The authors concluded that these estimates are below the tolerable dose of 30 μg per day established by WHO.Hypersensitivity reactions by amalgam restorationsAmalgam is capable of producing delayed hypersensitivity reactions in some individuals. These reactions usually present with dermatological or oral symptoms. The constant exposure to mercury in amalgam restorations may sensitize some individuals, making them more susceptible to oral lichenoid lesions. These oral lesions are rarely noticed by the affected individuals and cause no discomfort. There is evidence that a certain percentage of lichenoid lesions are caused by amalgam restorations,[40] but other restorative materials can also cause lichenoid lesions. It was also noted that the restorations associated with lichenoid lesions are poorly contoured, corroded and old. Hence corrosion of amalgam restoration or perhaps the biofilm present on such restorations may contribute to the development of hypersensitive reaction rather than material itself.[41] Symptoms of an amalgam allergy include skin rashes in the oral, head and neck area, itching, swollen lips, localized eczema-like lesions in the oral cavity. These clinical signs usually require no treatment and will disappear on their own within a few days of exposure. However, in some instances, an amalgam restoration will have to be removed and replaced with alternate restorative material. The replacements have led to significant improvements.[42] Although mercury allergy is rare but sometimes hypersensitivity to it may lead to dermatitis or type IV delayed hypersensitivity reactions most often affecting the skin as a rash.[43]Mercury exposure in dental professionalsDentists and dental nurses are at risk of potential exposure to inorganic mercury through their handling of amalgam, although now days their exposure has reduced due to low mercury to alloy ratio and through mercury management. One hundred and eighty dentists were evaluated in West Scotland for mercury exposure and its effects on their health and cognitive function. Dentists were found to have, on an average, over four times the level of urinary mercury compared to age and education-matched control subjects. The authors reported that based on their questionnaire, dentists were more likely to report having a disorder of the kidney, although the effect was not significantly associated with their urinary mercury level. An age effect was found for memory disturbances in dentists but not in the control subjects. There was no significant association between urinary mercury concentrations and self-reported memory disturbance.[44] A study on 43 dental nurses, with an average age of 52, were exposed to copper amalgam with a 30-year follow-up; were compared with 32 matched controls. It was concluded that the dental nurses did not appear to be neurobehavioraly compromised. Seven symptoms of mercury poisoning that were reported at a higher rate by exposed group than by the control group (arthritis, bloating, dry skin, headache, metallic taste, sleep disturbances, and unsteadiness). It did not appear that the investigators performed post-hoc testing to compensate for multiple comparisons.[45] The possible health risk of occupational exposure to mercury vapour in the dental office was assessed by evaluating the cytogenetic examination of leukocytes and blood mercury levels of dentists.[46] Genotoxicity of occupational exposure to mercury vapour in ten dentists was evaluated. The authors concluded that mercury vapour concentration in blood was below 0.1 mg/m3 and did not exhibit cytogenetic damage to leukocytes.Mercury management in dental operatoryIn 1999, the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs adopted mercury hygiene recommendations to provide guidance to dentists and their staff members for safe handling of mercury and minimizing the release of mercury into the dental office environment. These were updated in 2003 and are as follows: work in well-ventilated areas, remove professional clothing before leaving the workplace, periodically check the dental operatory atmosphere for mercury vapour, (use dosimeter badges or use of mercury vapour analysers for rapid assessment after any mercury spill or clean-up procedure). The current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), standard for mercury is 0.1 mg per cubic meter of air averaged over 8-h work shift. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has recommended the permissible exposure limit to be changed to 0.05 mg/m3 averaged over 8-h work shift over a 40-h workweek.[47] During preparation and placement of amalgam only precapsulated amalgam alloys should be used. If possible, recap single-use capsules after use, store them in a closed container and recycle them. Avoid skin contact with mercury or freshly mixed amalgam. Use high-volume evacuation systems when finishing or removing amalgam. Floor coverings should be non absorbent, seamless and easy to clean. Use of carpet in operatory is not recommended where an accidental mercury spill might occur. Chemical decontamination of carpeting may not be effective, as mercury droplets can seep through the carpet and remain inaccessible to the decontaminant. In case of accidental mercury spill a vacuum cleaner should never be used to clean up the mercury. Small spills (less than 10 g of mercury present) can be cleaned safely using commercially available mercury cleanup kits.Amalgam substitutesIn the recent year's composites, glass ionomer cements and a variety of hybrid structures have been used due to increased demand for aesthetic restorations. Composite serves better than amalgam when conservative preparation is recommended like small occlusal restorations, in which amalgam require removal of more sound tooth structure.[48] Composites have different setting reaction mechanisms and it interacts with the patient's tissues in different ways . The small organic molecules (monomers) react to form polymers. Some of the monomers may not have reacted during placement and therefore low levels remain in the set restoration, which are known to be toxic to cells and others may cause allergic reactions. The effects they cause vary depending on the substance and on the type of body tissue with which they come into contact. Concerns have been raised about the endocrine disrupting (in particular, oestrogen-mimicking) effects of plastic chemicals such as “Bisphenol A” used in composite resins.[49]Amalgam possesses greater longevity than composite.[50] However, this difference has decreased with continued development of composite resins.[51] Amalgam is moderately tolerant to the presence of moisture during placement. In contrast, technique for composite resin placement is more sensitive and require “extreme care” and “considerably greater number of steps”.[51] Mercury acts as bacteriostatic agent whereas TEGMA (constituting some older resin-based composites) “encourages the growth of microorganisms”.[51] The New England Children's Amalgam Trial suggested that the longevity of amalgam is higher than that of resin-based compomer placed in primary teeth and composites in permanent teeth.[50,52] Compomers and composites were seven times likely to require replacement than amalgam.[52] “Recurrent marginal decay” is the main reason for failure in both, amalgam and composite restorations, accounting for 66% (32/48) and 88% (113/129), respectively.[53] “Christensen[50] quoted Amalgam restorations are and will continue to be the mainstay of posterior tooth restorations for many years to come.” Though use of amalgam has decreased during the past few years, more studies on safety of composites or other aesthetic materials with long-term follow-up of are necessary before they can be considered a definitive alternative for amalgam.CONCLUSIONThe current use of amalgam has not posed a health risk apart from allergic reactions in few patients. Clinical justifications have not been available for removing clinically satisfactory amalgam restorations, except in patients allergic to amalgam constituents. Mercury hypersensitivity is an immune response to very low levels of mercury. There is no evidence that mercury released from amalgams results in adverse health effects in the general population. If the recommended mercury hygiene procedures are followed, the risks of adverse health effects in the dental office could be minimized. Amalgam is safe and effective restorative material and its replacement by nonamalgam restorations is not indicated. Also a recent review by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs states that: “Studies continue to support the position that dental amalgam is a safe restorative option for both children and adults. When responding to safety concerns it is important to make the distinction between known and hypothetical risks.”

(A2A) Thanks for asking, Ingrid. I’m more than happy to answer, as many foreigners seem to think that entire Norway is like Oslo, the capital.[1] However, Norway is a very diverse country.Among city people in Norway, especially in Oslo, there are many myths about the Norwegian countryside, some alive and kicking in other A2As to this question. In the following, I therefore encourage the reader to follow the links below, even if you don’t speak Norwegian, as many links contain pictures. They will give you a chance to see for yourself what the Norwegian countryside is really like.One stubborn myth is that there is depopulation all over the country. Well, true enough, there used to be. But rural Norway is changing.I’m a city boy. I have lived in Oslo my entire adult life after my dear late mum remarried, but my home and my heart is Trondheim, [2] Norway’s 3rd largest city (pop. 200 000), smack in the middle of the indeed elongated Norwegian country, which would stretch all the way from the Canadian border to the Florida panhandle if you moved Norway across the Atlantic Ocean.However, I have also worked for six months as a teacher in Nordland fylke, [3] living in a small municipality without even a village center. In addition, I have seen almost the entire country as a touring new wave musician in the 1980s, playing many tiny villages. I have in fact performed live in 18 of Norway’s 19 fylke (provinces), which are soon to become 11 new regions.statisticsAs of January 1st 2017, 4 283 184 Norwegians (81,5%) live in cities, towns and villages. 960 461 lived in sparsely populated areas.[4]The population of the densely populated areas increased by 55 335 people in 2016, while 8 115 fewer people lived in remote areas come 2017. The discrepancy is due to immigration and population growth.However, the population of the four largest cities of Norway increased only by 25 00 in 2016, which tells us that many Norwegians have moved to the new regional centers.THE REGIONAL CENTERS OF NORWAYCountryside in Norway used to mean isolated, single farms or a cluster of farms and houses. Maybe a truckstop, a gas station, a hotel or a grocery store here and there along the highway. But today it could just as well mean living in or close to a regional center or rural town of a few thousand people.To be given status as a by (town) in Norway, the kommune (municipality) in which it is located, needs to have at least 5 000 inhabitants. However, the town proper can have just a couple of thousand inhabitants, and there are at present 104 towns in Norway, 23 of them with less than 3 000 inhabitants, 4 with less than 1 000.The establishment of regional centers has been a conscious and bi-partisan policy by the Norwegian parliament. The intention has been twofold: to prevent depopulation of the countryside by making the countryside more attactive to live in, and to limit the growth of the major cities, where there for quite some time has been a housing crisis and soaring housing prices, which in the long run is a threat to the Norwegian economy, something several foreign or multinational institutions and organisations repeatedly have warned Norway about. [5]Although there are still regions being depopulated, the overall picture is that the population is not only stabilizing in many regions, there is even a slight population growth in quite a few municipalities. [6]There are small, bustling country towns all over the place. The conscious policy of regionalization is starting to take effect.BREKSTAD, A TOWN IN TRØNDELAG, CENTRAL NORWAY[7]A new Norwegian countryside is rising, for instance in the town of Brekstad (pop: 2 000) in the small kommune (73,18 km2/18 000 ac) of Ørland (pop.: 5 200)[8] on the Fosen peninsula with its 11 kommune and 24 000 inhabitants. [9] Population growth in Ørland 2016–2017 was 1,6%, and since the millennium, there are 16,6% more brekstadings in Brekstad.shopping in BrekstadIn Brekstad, in the new LIBRA shopping center, which predecessor was built in 1978,[10] the shops may not have all the models of your favourite shoe brand, but they do stock Loop, Birkenstock, Adidas and Nike, and in one of the two local sport shops you will get Puma as well. There is Timberland, FILA, GANT, Lee, and Tiger of Sweden to wear. [11] (Didn’t find any of my favourite jeans brands, though. Bummer!)Brekstad spouts two jewelry shops, one of them also an optician, and four supermarkets, plus one Asian grocery store. The large Norwegian chain Elkjop offers kitchen appliances, smartphones, games, computers, audio, TVs, radios and all other electronix. In LIBRA and elsewhere, there is e.g. a florist, a gardening shop, a toy shop, a pharmacy, several gift shops, a book store, a hair salon, a paint shop, a furniture shop, a health food store, a second hand store, car salesmen, a bakery, and the Norwegian government’s wine and liquer monopoly Vinmonopolet has a branch in Brekstad - of course! [12] And yes, you can indeed get your hot espresso or caffe latte in the town center.Not bad for a town with just 2 000 inhabitants, eh?Besides, these days, you have the internet, so if you desperately need that Luis Vitton handbag or a Stone Island jacket, it’s just a click away.Brekstad also has a lawyer, an advertising agency, a print shop, a real estate agent, a hiring agency, a consulting firm, a debt collection firm, a photographer, banks, an art gallery, an accounting firm, as well as several hotels, restaurants, a bar and a pub. And maybe best of all, there is great food, fresh from the surrounding farms. If you don’t mind a short drive, you can visit the farm shop of the Solvang farm, where they raise turkeys and sell homemade jams, pastries, fishburgers freshly made from local fish, as well as their own turkey products and other delicatessen.[13] [14]Farm shops is a new feature of Norwegian farming, a most welcome enterprise for an agricultural sector in decline for decades. 28 000 farms have closed down since 1999, and the 45 000 people working in agriculture are encouraged by the authorities to be innovative. 5% of Norway’s farms have gone organic, while in the early 1990s there were just a handful. [15] Although most farms in Norway are small, the average farm being 235 km2 (58 acres), the entire sector is highly mechaniced and efficient. [16] There are also many large producers. Norway is e.g. self-suffient with tomatoes. In the Rogaland region, one rural producer alone supplies the Norwegian market with 5–10 tons of greenhouse tomatoes every week.[17]But back to Brekstad, where there are three medical and two dental clinics, including ER for both services as well as some specialist physicians and nurses, even a private company ambulance. There are churches, and there is a NAV (Welfare and Employment) office, post office, the sheriff’s department, a fire department, a Child Welfare Services office, a public psychiatric unit (pilot) and most other Norwegian public services.Some services may be located other places on Fosen, rather than Brekstad, but living without a car in Ørland…? You are kidding me, right? But, for that matter, Fosen also has a comprehensive bus service with several routes. However, buses run when there is traffic, and no more than six or seven times a day, some just once, or on weekdays only. [18] [19]YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCENorway is a country of local newspapers, both online and in print, [20] and they are being read by 1M people in every part of Norway. Fosen is of course no exception. Fosna-Folket is twice a week distributed in +7 300 copies, and until 2017, “Folket” held its ground against the internet, but these days the Thursday edtion is no more. [21] [22]NO JOBS, NO COUNTRYSIDENot all jobs are available in the countryside. You may not be able to secure yourself a job locally. So what do you do?Once upon a time, white-collar workers started working at 9 am and blue-collar workers begun at 7 pm. Shops in Norway opened at 10 am and closed at 5 pm. However, working hours have become more flexible.working from home. If you don’t service others and have a computer at home, there’s no need for a regular office, at least not every single day. Your employer may let you work from home or stay home parts of your working week, or accept that you arrive 11 am and work until 18 pm. Or maybe you are self-employed, serving mainly customers in e.g. the capital? Then you can easily live in Brekstad.commuting. Many on the Fosen peninsula commute to Trondheim. The speedy commuter ferry will take them there, including the drive to the ferry terminal, in maybe as little as one hour. [23] In the Oslo region, thousands of people work in Oslo, but take the train to and fro work, as trains no longer take forever or stop at each and every small village. If you live in northeastern Grorud Valley, but work in Skøyen on Oslo’s westside, you may even spend more time getting to work than if you live in Brekstad, working in Trondheim. Or maybe you want your kids to grow up in Brekstad, but now that they have become teenagers, you don’t see all that much of them anyway, so becoming an ukependler (weekly communter), spending only weekends at home in Brekstad, makes sense? I mean, you can talk to them and your spouse on social media or on your smartphone whenever you or they please, right?However, most jobs in the countryside will have to be located in the countryside, and not just on farms or in the fishing industry. But we have already seen that regional centers create jobs, as brekstadingene and other fosninger no longer need to travel to Trondheim to satisfy their basic needs, but are served locally. Clinics need employees, so do kindergartens and schools, and the municipal administration and other public sector institutions need workers in a city which is growing. [24] More people means houses have to be built, and with increased traffic, roads have to be maintained and plow trucks must clear them in winter, so eight people are employed in the Norwegian Road Authority, div. Brekstad.Ørland is also home to an important base of the Norwegian Air Force and the base of Norway’s new F-35s, while the older F–16s have been as far as Kyrgyzstan, fighting terrorists there. The new F-35s will be operative in 2019, and some 650 military and civilian personel work at the Ørland base, as well as 200–300 conscripts.[25]But most of all, the countryside needs jobs, as in productive labour. Mascot Høie in Brekstad produces 15 000 pillows and duvets daily, as well as linen, while Grøntvedt Pelagic is the world’s largest producer of barrel-marinated herring. If you have eaten pickled herring on a hotel somewhere on the globe, it may well have originated in Brekstad, since Grøntvedt exports 80% of their 250 000 yearly barrels of herring as far as Japan, plus mackerel and other pelagic species.And of course there are farms in Ørland. Look at the picture below. Brekstad is a tiny cluster of buildings and houses, surrounded by fertile farmland as far as the eye can see. 8% of the population in Ørland is employed in agriculture.This is the new Norwegian countryside.THE MARVELS OF FAMILY LIFE IN BREKSTAD AND ØRLANDIf you are a family person, Brekstad and Ørland is a great place to live.Ørland has five kindergartens and full municipal coverage with two public and three private kindergartens: Marihøna (Ladybug) Music and Outdoor Kindergarten, [26] The Teaching Workshop - Nature and Farm Kindergarten, [27] and Sunnyflower Waldorf Kindergarten. [28]There are two primary and one secondary school in Ørland, but your older teenagers will have to take the school bus to get to Fosen High School in neighbouring Bjugn kommune. [29]Now, these days, many children spend too much time in front of their computers, but in Brekstad you have a far better chance of succeeding in kicking your spawn out of the house. Here, they can roam about on foot or on their bikes, go exploring or fishing or climbing or whatever, in a very safe environment with no dealers or street gangs on the corner.The football teams of Ørland Ballklubb [30] play at Ørland Stadium, and who knows, maybe your kid one day will follow in the footsteps of brekstading Jo Tessem, who went from Ørland BK to become a professional footballer, playing for Southampton FC in England at the height of his career. [31] ØBK also offers handball in the new Ørland Savings Bank Arena [32] with its three handball courts. If ballplay isn’t attractive for your picky off-spring, they can go swimming in the newly renovated public pool [33] or join a different sports club. If you are prepared to drive them to a neighbouring municipality, there are a plethora of other sports available for them on the Fosen peninsula. [34]When you’ve had enough havoc and noise around the house, to finally get some peace and quiet, you can send them to the movies in the brand new and very stylish Community House (Kulturhus). [35]Every kommune in Norway has one these days, it seems.[36]And if your kids get too preoccupied with fishing, sports and bicycle roaming, you can send them to the Ørland Community Library in Brekstad, [37] where both the childrens’ section and the youth section offers not only hundreds of books, but also music albums, movies, audio books, comics and maybe a game of chess? Or your spawn can borrow some books or other media and take them home, all for free.In October, there will be music, dance and theatre with and for 10–18 year olds in Skrekkspillene (Horror Games), and 300 children are following classes at Kulturskolen (Culture School).[38]What more could you possibly want for your kids? Disneyworld?!WHAT TO DO IN BREKSTAD AND ØRLANDAnd what about yourself? What can you do to pass the time in Ørland?It has been said that there is one organisation per capita in Norway. That is of course an exaggeration, but on the Fosen peninsula there are over 250 sports clubs, community organisations, religious and political organisations, motor clubs, naturalist associations, music associations, i.e. roughly some kind of community organisation per 100 inhabitants. There is a scuba club, an accordeon club, boating clubs, neighbourhood associations, and there are sports clubs which offers e.g. Tae Kwon Do and karate, equestrianism, basket, rugby, cycling, skiing, kayaking, sailing, archery, motor sports and swimming. [39] You can join a bridge or a darts club, and if birdwatching is your favourite pastime, Ørland spouts one of the six Norwegian Wetland Centers (Våtmarksenteret), as Ørland municipality is restoring wetlands and marshes. [40][41]Two activities have a long-standing tradition in the Norwegian countryside, and they are maintaining their popularity: Fishing and hunting. There are three Fosen branches of the Norwegian Association of Hunters and Anglers (NJFF), [42]one of Norway’s largest organisations with some 120 000 members of a population of 5M and with no less than 600 NJFF branches all over Norway, an NJFF rate of 1.5 per municipality, as there are 422 Norwegian kommuner.Fosen is renowned for its fishing opportunities, not only sea fishing for cod, pollock, lythe, wolffish, ling, haddock, flounder, whiting, dogfish, sea trout and mackerel, but there are also a great number of lakes and rivers on Fosen with Arctic char, trout and salmon. There are seven small boat marinas in Ørland, and many brekstadings own their own vessel.However, if one activity should be named the pastime of the nation of Fosen, I suspect it would be hunting. Not many foreigners know that Norway is indeed a country of guns. Norway is in fact no. 11 on the world ranking of private gun ownership, with close to 1,4M guns.[43]Most Norwegian private weapons are hunting rifles and shotguns, and the legal quota in Ørland for 2018 is 122 deer and 99 moose (elk). There is also rich duck, goose and small game hunting, which why there are no less than 18 local gun clubs on Fosen.Fosen is also a great place for trekking and hiking, and in Snillfjord, northeast of Ørland, there is even a stretch of rare boreal rainforest. [44]The Community House also features guest performances, and the coming autumn, Brekstad will be visited by comedians and a magician, and when Jarle Bernhoft, nominated for a Grammy in the US in 2015, comes to town, there will no doubt be a full house. [45]GOING TO THE REGIONAL CAPITALA few decades ago, the rural population of Trøndelag [46]had to go to Trondheim to buy, order or seek out much of what they needed of goods and services. Typically, there would be no dentist, optician, medical specialist or lawyer for miles in the countryside, and the only local events would be the bygdefest (“barn dance”), infamous for moonshine calamities, at the old community houses, usually built pre-WW2 and with terrible acoustics.But these days, the town of Brekstad serves the entire Fosen peninsula, the population’s basic needs well catered to. And there are enough customers on Fosen to run a profitable shop, workers available if you want to start a business, and a sufficent number of clients for a public facility or office to make spending of taxpayer money acceptable. Indeed, Ørland, this tiny municipality bordering the Atlantic Ocean which used to be marred by depopulation, even has a 9 hole golf course![47]Never mind the vinyl shop and the sushi bar. You can visit them when you once a month take a trip to Trondheim, where you may also go see a match at the Lerkendal Arena, home of Rosenborg FC, the no. 1 football (soccer) club in Norway, which at least 90% of the inhabitants of Fosen are rooting for with great enthusiasm, especially when RBK plays other top teams in one of the European cups. [48] Trondheim is just a 1–2 hour drive away, plus a catamaran ride across the Trondheim Fiord; no need to bring your car, you leave it at the parking lot by the ferry terminal. [49][50] Or, you could go to Kristiansund,[51] the capital of Nordmøre, [52] enjoying a light meal and a beer or coffee during the 3 1/2 hour ride,[53] picking up passengers on the islands of Hitra and Smøla on the way, hoping that the final leg to Kristiansund will be a smooth ride, as you may be exposed to the wrath of the open Atlantic Ocean if the weather is rough.Ørland-Oslo by airThere are 49 airports certified for commercial traffic in Norway, and Ørland Flyplass (OLA) is one of the 31 minor Norwegian airports, thanks to the Ørland Airforce Base, which is open for commercial traffic as well. A daily service operated by Danish Air Transport will in one hour take you to the Gardermoen National Airport in Oslo, just another boarding from the rest of the world. [54]NORWEGIAN REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTUREIn order to make the new regional structure work, proper communications are indeed needed. Western and northern Norway is ferryland, and 20M cars are annually transported between the terminals of the 121 Norwegian local ferry routes. In a few decades, most will be running of hydropower or hybrid energy, not diesel, so charging stations are being built for ferries, as well as for the estimated 1,5M electrical cars which will be trafficking Norway in 2030.The politicians let Norwegian transport infrastructure decay and detoriate up until around 2010, and some roads and railroads are in an abysmal state. Several roads are quite literally dangerous, as rockslides and gigant falling rocks come tumbling down with regular intervals. even on heavily trafficked highways. [55] Train punctuality has improved the last five years, but still delays are common, much to the chagrin of commuters and travellers who may miss the last ferry home. [56] The Norwegian National Railroad Adminstration (JV)[57] has been the subject of massive criticisms for its lack of foresight and planning.[58] Unfortunately, government top brass are rarely held accountable in Norway. The envelope usually stops by the entrance, where the press officer will say, “Yes. We do have some challenges, but…”The infrastucture of the Norwegian land-based transport sector is in need of investments of no less than 2,6T NOK (USD 320B) 2018–2050, according to a report from 2015. [59] But the mountainous task of upgrading Norwegian roads and railroads is at least finally being adressed, even if the lag is so significant that it will take decades before the entire Norwegian infrastructure is elevated to an acceptable level.On the good side: Norway has +99% broadband coverage, and 75% of all households has 8 Mbit, while 55% has 25 Mbit speed. 99% of Norwegians have 4G, and +50% of the Norwegian land area has coverage.[60] However, the telecommunications sector is private and competition is fierce, while most road & transport is public, and the Norwegian government bureaucracy is infamous for building over budget, IT scandals[61] and endless, successive series of committee deliberations, reports and assessments. Extensive public hearings may take forever, involving a multitude of hearing instances. They call it “democracy the Norwegian way”. If the telecom networks had been public, we’d probably all still be on 3G.OUTSIDE BREKSTAD AND BEYONDThe old Norwegian countryside is still around. When I was teaching up north, I lived in a kommune which now has a population of 2 000, and no regional center. Where I lived, there were just two grocery stores, a school, and 800 inhabitants, most of them employed in farming, fisheries or public sector. Many locals were weekend commuters. Job creation simply didn’t exist. In 25 of the of the 32 municipalities in Nordland with less than 5 000 inhabitants, the population declined from 2016 to 2017. Of the 21 kommunes with less than 2 000 inhabitants, 13 saw a decline, 4 as much as +3%.That many chose and choose to leave the old countryside, is understandable. With almost no possibility of leading some kind of social life in the modern sense, many will become bored or feel that life passes them by.Whether the new Norwegian regionalism will be a success in the end, remains to be seen. In addition to Brekstad, there are five small villages and three inhabited islands in Ørland, places that typically are being depopulated elsewhere in Norway. There are of course people who thrive in an environment like that and wouldn’t trade it for the world. But only a combination of stubborness and the ability to make a living in such remote areas will decide whether these communities will survive. Tourism, however, is expanding, as many city folks are seeking peace and quiet, and also a sense of rural authenticiy, staying e.g. at a lighthouse or an old boat house converted into a bed & breakfast or a rental, being taken out to sea in a fishing boat, returning perhaps with a 10 pound cod; a local chef may even prepare it personally for you some places. [62] [63] [64][65]THE FUTUREØrland municipality will do its utmost to help people move to Ørland or remain there. Every citizen counts. These days, most municipalities in Norway have a Chief Business Commissioner (næringssjef), whose job is to attract businesses and investors to the municipality. If a company should need a plot or a property, it is very likely they will aquire it. Some municipalities even offer lots for free. If a company needs a lateral road or a pier, electricity or water supply in order to run their business, the municipality will do their best to get funds from the government, [66] or they may even take up a loan themselves in a local bank. Ørland will also help any newcomers with housing and maybe give surety if a family should feel they need a 4WD on snowy winter roads.What the future will bring? Who can tell?But Brekstad isn’t special, it’s typical. This is what the new Norwegian countryside, or at least parts of it, looks like. Not exactly urban, but still.THE URBANIST’S BRIEF GUIDE TO THE NORWEGIAN COUNTRYSIDENow, of course, after a while, you will most likely meet no strangers in the pub. If you are a dedicated collector of vinyl, you will have to go to Trondheim. I can’t find any sushi bar in Brekstad, just an Asian take-away, although I woldn’t be surprised if a sushi bar pops up come 2019, but I don’t exactly expect the chef to be born in Kyoto, Japan. If you are an urban person, Brekstad is not where you will want to live.If you are single, your choice of a spouse will be limited, but you always have match.com, and just like in the Viking age, the menfolk of Brekstad will travel abroad to find a wife, which is why it is not unusual in places like Brekstad to see quite a few Asian women, who will be more than happy to settle in a nice and friendly country town like Brekstad.So if you recognize yourself in the Tom Waits line…And you wonder how you ever fathomedthat you’d be contentto stay within the city limitsof a small midwestern town…then I strongly advice you against settling in a place like Brekstad. You will most likely get extremely bored, then restless, and soon you will want to move.However, the people who live there, will shake their heads and wonder how you could be such a fool to leave their small community, as they head to their favourite fishing spot, take the kids to the new swimming hall, or look up to see a sparrowhawk soar high above them, as they go about weeding in their very own organic kitchen garden, picking fresh thyme and lovage, thinking-Poor city folks, they don’t know what they’re missing. What’s with the word chilling they don’t understand?Brekstad in Ørland on a sunny summers’s day.Scuba diving in Ørland, anyone?And if you’re lucky, you may get a visit by Vamp from Haugesund in southwestern Norway, one of the flagships of Norwegian country/folk music, here with their massive classic “Liten fuggel” (Small bird) - in nynorsk, [67] of course.Or maybe you prefer the controversial Brekstad TNBM heroes of Slagmaur? [68]Warning: NSFW!For more facts about Norway, check out my Quora blog:NORWAY EXPLAINED:Your guide to Norway and Norwegians by Morten JørgensenFootnotes[1] Morten Jørgensen's answer to What are some subtle cultural aspects of Norwegians that you probably can't learn about via Google?[2] Trondheim - Wikipedia[3] Nordland - Wikipedia[4] 2017-12-19[5] IMF warns Norway over property prices[6] Folketalet ved nyttår var 5 258 000[7] Trøndelag - Wikipedia[8] Ørland - Wikipedia[9] Fosen - Wikipedia[10] Se utviklingen av Libra bilde for bilde fra 1977 [11] Shopping - Ørland[12] Vinmonopolet - Wikipedia[13] Åpningstider[14] Brekstad Sentrum - Ørland[15] Fakta[16] Snart kan du produsere spesialmelk[17] Tomat-resultater i verdensklasse[18] https://www.atb.no/getfile.php/1314924-1528101561/Rutetabeller/Sommer2018/AtB_rute451.pdf[19] https://www.atb.no/getfile.php/1315017-1528101790/Rutetabeller/Sommer2018/AtB_rute490.pdf[20] Landslaget for lokalaviser – Wikipedia[21] Fosna-Folket[22] Fosna-Folket - Wikipedia[23] Trondheim - Brekstad[24] https://www.orland.kommune.no/administrasjon/organisasjonskart/[25] The future has landed[26] Marihøna musikk- og friluftsbarnehage[27] Læringsverkstedet Opphaug natur- og gårdsbarnehage[28] Solblomsten Steinerbarnehage[29] Fosen VGS - fosen.vgs.no[30] Ørland Ballklubb - Fotballgruppa[31] Jo Tessem - Wikipedia[32] Sitter du på et ønske om å støtte byggingen av den nye storstua?[33] Svømmehallen - Ørland kommune[34] Idrettslag og foreninger på Fosen[35] Kino / Ørland Kultursenter[36] Image on mdn.no[37] Ørland folkebibliotek[38] SKREKKSPILLENE PÅ FOSEN[39] https://www.orland.no/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sports-%C3%98rland.pdf[40] Rusasetvatnet / Ørland Kultursenter[41] Fuglene flokker til Rusasetvatnet[42] Norwegian Association of Hunters and Anglers - Wikipedia[43] Få har flere våpen enn nordmenn[44] Scandinavian coastal conifer forests - Wikipedia[45] Jarle Bernhoft - Wikipedia[46] Trøndelag - Wikipedia[47] Austrått Golfklubb[48] Rosenborg's Miracle Against Ajax[49] Trondheim - Vanvikan[50] Trondheim - Brekstad[51] Kristiansund - Wikipedia[52] Nordmøre - Wikipedia[53] Trondheim - Brekstad - Kristiansund[54] Ørland Airport - Wikipedia[55] Image on tv2.no[56] Forsinkelser i togtrafikken over hele landet[57] Norwegian National Rail Administration - Wikipedia[58] Riksrevisjonen med skarp kritikk av Jernbaneverket[59] Knusende rapport om Norges tilstand: Forfall på 2600 milliarder[60] Mobildekning – Wikipedia[61] IT-skandale -sverige -danmark -social at DuckDuckGo[62] http://kufly.no/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IMG_3252ed.jpg[63] Visit Coastal Norway - Tourist information for Hitra, Frøya, Bjugn, Snillfjord, Osen, Åfjord, Roan, Rissa, Leksvik og Fosen - KystNorge[64] Discover Fosen Norway Autumn theme[65] Turistkatalog. Ørland. Oppslagsverk for personer i kontakt med turister. v PDF[66] Innovation Norway - Wikipedia[67] Nynorsk - Wikipedia[68] Slagmaur - Bestemor Sang Djevelord Lyrics | Musixmatch