Columbia TEEN SCREEN Project
What You Should Know
about the Mental Health Screening,
Referral, and Education
Program in the Plattsburgh City School District and the Chazy Central Rural
School District
Purpose:
The goal of the Mental Health Screening, Referral, and Education Program has
been to establish a project for mental health screenings
(Columbia University TeenScreen Program) in the Plattsburgh City School District (PCSD) for 8th graders, 10th
graders, and at-risk 9-18 year olds in order to identify and help depressed and suicidal youth and their parents access mental health services and to provide mental health education to students, parents, school staff, and the community.
We will begin thr same process in the Chazy District in the Fall of 2008.
Overview: A collaborative planning committee
met to initiate and eventually
institutionalize a mental health screening, referral, and education program in the
District. Columbia University’s TeenScreen Program (an adolescent mental health and suicide-screening initiative) was
selected which is active in 43 states and supported by 34
national organizations, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Federation of Teachers, and the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Screenings are always voluntary.
The TeenScreen Program provides the free training and tools for the mental health screenings used in the Plattsburgh City Schools. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Champlain Valley
provides the Project Coordinator/Educator in each school. Each year, the
program invites parents of the students to grant
permission to have their adolescent screened for depression. Students who screen positive for depression will then have an hour-long clinical interview with a licensed professional. Those who screen positive after the longer
clinical interview will be referred for mental health services in our community.
The Project Coordinator/Educator meets with the adolescent and his/her family within 24 hours of the clinical interview to help them determine what choices they have for mental health treatment within our community. The Project
Coordinator/Educator directly refers adolescents and families to local services and links them to “interim” services if they are placed on wait lists. In addition to the screening program, the Project Coordinator/Educator provides
mental health education in the schools and in the community.
For more information, click on any of the topics which interest you:
Columbia
TeenScreen Program Description and Principles:
A.
The Columbia University TeenScreen Program is an adolescent mental
health and suicide-screening initiative active in 43 states and supported by 34
national organizations, including the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, American Federation of Teachers, and the President's New
Freedom Commission on Mental Health.
B.
The New York State Office of Mental Health recommends the use of the
Columbia University TeenScreen Program as part of the state’s newly
released suicide prevention plan.
C.
The goal of the Columbia University TeenScreen Program is to ensure that
all parents are offered the opportunity for their teens to receive a voluntary
mental health check-up. The program’s primary objective is to help young people
and their parents through the early identification of mental health problems,
such as depression. Parents of youth found to be at possible risk are notified
and helped with identifying and connecting to local mental health services where
they can obtain further evaluation.
D.
Following are the most important principles that all local TeenScreen
programs must reflect in their screening plans and practices—all of which are
emphasized in the TeenScreen site development process and training
protocols.
1.
Screening must always be voluntary.
a.
Parental consent must be obtained in
order for youth to participate.
b.
TeenScreen recommends the use of
active consent as a best practice.
c.
Youth must always give their assent for
participation.
d.
Screening participants must be given the
right to refuse to answer any questions they don’t want to answer.
2.
Approval to conduct a screening project must be obtained from appropriate
organizational leadership (in this case, the school district).
3.
All screening staff and volunteers must be qualified and trained.
4.
Confidentiality must be protected.
5.
Youth identified through the screening as needing further evaluation must
be linked to appropriate mental health services.
6.
Parents of
identified youth must be informed of the screening results and referral
recommendations, and provided assistance with securing an appointment with a
qualified mental health professional for further evaluation.
E.
The
TeenScreen Program currently offers its tools, training, and consultation
at no cost—once a site is approved for the program. During training,
TeenScreen national personnel assist in determining which screening tool
best fits the program goals. Screening tools are
Columbia Health Screen
(CHS), Columbia Depression Scale (CDS), and Diagnostic Predictive Scales (DPS).
F.
More
information can be obtained at:
www.teenscreen.org
Your Role as a School Faculty/Staff Member:
You should become familiar
with the Mental Health Screening, Referral, and Education Program and with the
Principles of the Columbia TeenScreen Program. Be prepared to direct
parents and students to school staff who can answer more detailed questions and
concerns about these programs.
Your Role as a Parent:
You should become familiar
with the Mental Health Screening, Referral, and Education Program and with the
Principles of the Columbia TeenScreen Program. IF you are a parent
of an 8th or 10th grader, you have received the
Parent Information Letter and Consent
Form in the mail. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call NAMI:
CV at 561-2685.
Yearly Timelines for Plattsburgh:
A.
Each year, 8th Graders will be screened in the Spring as well
as students between 11 and 18 years of age who are referred for a screening
because they have been identified as “at-risk” by school personnel.
1.
Parent letter is sent in mid-January. Presentations are made to PTAs and
community groups. Educational presentations are made in classrooms.
2.
A staggered screening schedule is set for 10 weeks from February through
the end of April. Approximately 10 students are screened, assessed, and
referred each week.
B.
Each year, 10th Graders will be screened in the Fall as well
as students who are referred for a screening:
1. Parent letter is sent in mid-September.
Presentations are made in the community and in classrooms.
2. A staggered screening schedule is set for
10 weeks from October to mid-December. Ten students are screened, assessed, and
referred each week.
Project Goals:
During the school year, we
will:
0
Screen students in the targeted
grades.
0
Conduct a one-hour clinical
interview for students who are likely to screen positive for depression.
0
Provide 24-hour follow-up and
short-term case management services to students and their parents who need information about
depression and immediate referrals for mental health services.
0
Follow-up with students and their parents at 3-month intervals
for at least one year.
0
Distribute the tri-county
information directory that contains mental health information, resources, and
referral guidelines.
0
Provide consultations to school
staff on ways to include mental health education in the curriculum.
0
Hold community
presentations for parents on children’s mental health issues and concerns.
0
Through a variety of mediums,
educate the community about teen depression, the TeenScreen Program,
mental health education in the schools, and mental health resources and
agencies in the community.
0
Secure funding to
institutionalize depression screening and mental health education in local school
districts.
Parent
Letter:
Dear Parent,
Did you know that depression and anxiety affect as many
as one out of five teens today and that 17% of U.S. high school students
report serious thoughts of suicide? Unfortunately, most teens with these
problems never get identified. At our school, we think this is an
important issue and that no student should have to suffer in silence when help
is readily available. As a result, we are now partnering with the Columbia
University TeenScreen Program to make free and voluntary emotional
health screening available to our student body. I am proud to be working in
this way to safeguard the health and welfare of our students and hope that you
will take advantage of this confidential service for your child. Please read
the information below carefully and then sign the attached Parent Consent Form
to indicate whether you want your child to participate. Your child cannot
participate unless you return the signed consent form.
What is TeenScreen?
TeenScreen is a health screening program developed
by Columbia University to identify teens who may suffer from depression or
other emotional problems and to help their parents connect teens in need with
professional health resources in the community.
How does the program work?
Mary Anne Cox, LCSW, is the Columbia
TeenScreen Coordinator in Plattsburgh while Ilene Leshinsky is the
Coordinator in Chazy. It will take place during school hours in a
private setting at the school. Your child will not be screened without your
permission. There are three steps to the screening procedure:
Step One:
Students complete a 10-minute
questionnaire about general health, depression, anxiety and use of drugs and
alcohol.
Step Two:
If your teen’s answers reveal a
potential problem or if he/she asks for help, he/she will then meet with a
trained health professional in private to determine if further evaluation is
recommended. Students whose answers show that they probably do not need help
will meet briefly with other program staff to answer any questions they may
have about the program.
Step Three:
You will be notified by program
staff only if your teen meets with a health professional and the
professional recommends further evaluation for your child. If this is the
case, program staff will share the overall results with you and discuss ways
to get help.
Our school provides this screening at no
cost, but does not provide any further evaluation or treatment services. It
is up to you to decide if you want to obtain any additional services for your
child.
In addition to the attached Parent Consent Form, there is
a sheet with some common questions and answers about TeenScreen.
Please review this information and complete and return the Parent Consent
Form.
Please do not hesitate to call 561-2685
if you have any questions. Also, additional
information about the TeenScreen Program is available at
www.teenscreen.org.
Sincerely,
Your Principal
Parent Consent Form:
Please return this form by mail
or have your child deliver it to:
Guidance Office
at School
I have read and understand the description of the
TeenScreen Program offered at Plattsburgh High School during this
academic year.
___ I would like my child to participate in the
TeenScreen Program
___ I do not want my child to participate in the
TeenScreen Program
Parent/Legal Guardian’s Name
(Print): ______________________________
Student’s Name (Print):
_____________________________________ Grade: ________
Parent/Legal Guardian’s
Signature: ____________________________
Date: ____________
If your child will be participating, please provide the
following information so we can contact you, if necessary:
Address:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Home Phone:
_________________________
Work/Cell Phone:
______________________
Email address:
________________________________________________
Best times to reach you:
________________________________________
Frequently Asked Questions about Teen Screen
Are TeenScreen results confidential?
In order to protect your child’s privacy, his/her
screening results and related files will not be stored with his/her academic
records. Teachers will not be involved in the screening procedure. If
program staff believe that your child is in some danger, or is a danger to
others, they will take action and notify appropriate personnel and/or
necessary authorities.
What if I provide consent, but my child doesn’t want
to participate?
Because we believe screening should be totally voluntary,
your child may refuse to participate or refuse to answer any questions during
the screening. We will notify you by letter if your child chooses not to
participate or is absent on the day of the screening.
Does TeenScreen recommend treatment?
The TeenScreen program and staff do not make any
treatment recommendations. All possible treatment decisions are made by
families in close consultation with a health professional after the completion
of the TeenScreen Program. Treatment recommendations are beyond the
scope of the TeenScreen Program.
How accurate is the screening questionnaire?
The screening questionnaire was developed by Columbia
University and research has concluded that it is effective in identifying
youth with possible emotional problems. However, the questionnaire results are
not a medical diagnosis. Medical diagnoses are beyond the scope of the
TeenScreen Program.
Can I see the questionnaire?
Yes. If you wish to review the TeenScreen
screening questionnaire, the assent form your child will be asked to sign
prior to his/her participation in the program, or any instructional materials
related to the screening, please submit a request to Mary Anne Cox at the NAMI:CV office, 561-2685, and you will be notified of the time and place where you
may review these materials.
Where does TeenScreen get its support?
The program is supported by foundations and local
communities. It is operated as a non-profit public service and accepts
individual donations to help provide free screening services to local
communities. The program receives no funding from pharmaceutical companies.
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