Columbia University TeenScreen Program Mental Health Checkups for Youth Presented by School Social Workers Nancy Gutman, LMSW Steve Presley, LISW

What is TeenScreen? A free health screening created by Columbia University to assess the health of teenagers and to assist teens in connecting with professional assistance, if they need it.

TeenScreen Sites Across The U.S. The goal of Great Prairie AEA is for all of our 35 school districts to give every student the opportunity to have an emotional health checkup before they leave high school. We currently have 16 school districts participating.

How does TeenScreen Work It is a voluntary program. Parents give written consent. Students also give their consent. Students complete a 10 minute questionnaire about health, feelings and behaviors on the computer. Students talk with a Great Prairie AEA School Social Worker about their answers. Parents are contacted if there are concerns. Student and Parents are offered information about community resources.

What does a school need to do to become a TeenScreen site? 1.Meet with a TeenScreen Coordinator. 2. Your school rep will go over a checklist which includes items such as: a)Letter of commitment from the school district Superintendent and building Principal. b)Review of building crisis plan. c)Decide screening group, which grade level will be offered TeenScreen?

What does a school need to do to become a TeenScreen site? d) Discuss screening location in the building (computer lab) and arrange private spaces in the building to discuss results with students. e) Identify mental health resources in the community that would be potential referral sources. f)Decide how parents and students will be informed of TeenScreen and how consent forms will be distributed. g)Identify a building case manager who will organize the screening day and follow up with parents when there is a concern about a student.

How will TeenScreen benefit my school? Helps to identify those students suffering in silence and less noticeable to school staff. Research– School does not always know those students at-risk. Research indicates that teens will report accurately on a computerized questionnaire. The complications of untreated mental illness in youth are manifold, and can include poor school performance, behavioral issues, poor social development, problems with peer and family relationships, and, in the more severe cases, suicide risk. Children and adolescents with emotional disturbance (5-9% of school-age youth) have the highest failure rate, with 50% of these students dropping out of high school.

Iowa Youth Survey Data Suicide is a real concern in SE Iowa the IYS data for Great Prairie AEA schools report: – 10% of boys and 16% of girls in the 11 th grade thought of suicide and 8% of the boys and 20% of the girls have made an attempt. – In 8 th grade 6% of boys and 15% of girls had thoughts of suicide and the same percentages indicated they had made an attempt.

Suicide in High School Youth Almost as many teens die by suicide as those who die from the most common natural causes combined. 15% of U.S. high school students report serious thoughts of killing themselves in the past year. 11% of U.S. high school students report making a suicide plan in the past year. 7% of U.S. high school students report attempting suicide in the past year. 2% of U.S. high school students report having made a suicide attempt that required medical attention in the past year. CDC (WISQARS, 2005) (last reviewed 1/23/08) YRBS 2007

Suicide in Middle School Youth 18% to 28% of U.S. middle school students surveyed reported serious thoughts of killing themselves in the past year 11% to 16% of U.S. middle school students surveyed reported making a suicide plan in the past year 8% to 14% of U.S. middle school students surveyed reported having made a suicide attempt in the past year States surveyed: - Grades 6, 7, & 8: Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Wyoming - Grades 7 & 8 only: Alabama, Maine, and North Dakota Cities surveyed: - Grades 6, 7, & 8: DC PS; Miami-Dade County PS, FL; Milwaukee PS, WI; San Bernardino USD, CA; San Francisco USD,CA - Grades 7 & 8 only: Dallas ISD, TX; District of Columbia PS; Miami-Dade County PS, FL; Milwaukee PS, WI; San Bernardino USD, CA; San Francisco USD, CA Data is weighted and considered representative of their specified jurisdiction CDC (WISQARS, 2005) (last reviewed 1/23/08) YRBS 2007

Screening for Suicide Risk is Safe Gould et al., JAMA, 2005 Screening does not increase distress. Screening does not increase depressive symptoms. Screening does not increase suicidal ideation. Screening decreases stress and suicidality in depressed teens and those with prior suicide attempts.

Quotes from Participants “Good mental health helps you learn.” “I like that my school cares about me, not just my grades.” School Counselor: “Students know in our school that sophomores take TeenScreen.” Parent: “I wish they had something like this when I was in school. I suffered in silence with depression.”

Great Praire AEA TeenScreen Coordinators Burlington Office Nancy Gutman Ext Fairfield Office Steve Presley Ext