SCREENING PROGRAM FOR TEENS
Voluntary check for depression, suicide risk

Parents of ninth-graders and 11th-graders in each of Potter County's high schools are being invited to have their children participate in "TeenScreen."

It's a national mental health and suicide risk screening program that offers parents the opportunity for their teenagers to receive a voluntary mental health check-up.

Potter County Human Services staff is conducting the screening following training by Columbia University.

One in 10 American children and adolescents suffers from mental illness and experiences impairment, but only 20 percent of them receive treatment.

TeenScreen is a screening program only, and does not involve diagnosis or treatment.

In the first stage, teens complete a questionnaire. Those results may lead to an interview with a mental health professional. That determines whether a voluntary referral for a complete mental health evaluation is warranted.

Parents are being given an information packet and a consent letter which they must sign for their child to participate. Teens whose parents have given their consent must also agree to the screening.

TeenScreen is a confidential process. School personnel or others are not given access to records unless there is a crisis.

Projected screening periods for each school district are: Austin, week of March 3; Coudersport, week of March 10; Northern Potter, week of April 7; Galeton, week of April 14; and Oswayo Valley, week of April 21.

Additional information is available toll-free from Mary Freeman or Crystal Morales at Potter County Human Services, 1-800-800-2560.