Dear Katelyn,
Are you allowed to comment on this due to your job at the Messenger? I would like to hear more from you as you are the resident expert to me for discussion on this topic.
Thanks!
By Katelyn Sattler
Staff Writer
The Pickerington Board of Education approved a new contract to continue TeenScreen for the 2006-07 school year.
Columbia University?’s TeenScreen is a national suicide prevention and mental health screening program that helps to identify youths at risk who may be unknown as being at risk to parents or school officials. The goal of TeenScreen is to make mental health check-ups available to all adolescents.
TeenScreen was first started at Pickerington?’s schools in the 2005-06 school year. The program was offered in all health classes, which are usually taken in tenth grade. Participation requires parental or guardian permission, as well as student assent.
For the entire 2005-06 school year, 638 consent forms were distributed to students, and 209 forms were returned granting parental or guardian permission. Of those, 205 students agreed to participate. Of the 205 students who were screened, 82 student tested positive and completed a clinical interview with the New Horizons TeenScreen Coordinator who administers the test. Of the 82 who tested positive, 51 teens were referred for further mental health evaluation and 31 students did not require a referral, or were a ?“false positive.?”
Board viewpoints
During discussion of the contract, Board member Dr. Jim Brink stated TeenScreen, ?“Causes me concern...It?’s not clear to me this is a school function.?”
Board member Gail Oakes agreed, stating, ?“We may be overstepping our bounds.?”
Oakes believes the results may be misinterpreted if the teen is screened shortly after a traumatic event such as a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Board President Lisa Reade disagreed, saying, ?“We would all like to believe many things are not the school?’s responsibility.?”
She added the school is required to report suspected abuse, and, ?“In some ways I look at this as the same thing.?”
Board member Lori Oakes expressed the belief that, ?“If it helps one student, it?’s worth it.?”
Superintendent Dr. Robert Thiede defended the program, stating, ?“It?’s strictly up to parents and guardians?” whether their child participates. He also referred to the recent survey of high school seniors in the county on alcohol and drug use and indicated it showed the need.
Thiede said the high school principals and guidance staff all have positive feelings about the program. He said the New Horizons TeenScreen Coordinator was able to free up the guidance counselors to be able to help more students, and the coordinator, a social worker, was also able to deal with more intense behavioral issues that the guidance staff doesn?’t feel capable of handling.
Reade added the phrase ?“with parental consent?” to the paragraph of the contract that deals with referring a student who tests positive to a licensed mental health professional.
The board approved the new TeenScreen contract 4-1, with Oakes dissenting.
For information questioning TeenScreen, visit the following Web sites: www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen and www.teenscreentruth.org.
For information about TeenScreen, visit the official TeenScreen Web site at www.teenscreen.org.
Are you allowed to comment on this due to your job at the Messenger? I would like to hear more from you as you are the resident expert to me for discussion on this topic.
Thanks!
By Katelyn Sattler
Staff Writer
The Pickerington Board of Education approved a new contract to continue TeenScreen for the 2006-07 school year.
Columbia University?’s TeenScreen is a national suicide prevention and mental health screening program that helps to identify youths at risk who may be unknown as being at risk to parents or school officials. The goal of TeenScreen is to make mental health check-ups available to all adolescents.
TeenScreen was first started at Pickerington?’s schools in the 2005-06 school year. The program was offered in all health classes, which are usually taken in tenth grade. Participation requires parental or guardian permission, as well as student assent.
For the entire 2005-06 school year, 638 consent forms were distributed to students, and 209 forms were returned granting parental or guardian permission. Of those, 205 students agreed to participate. Of the 205 students who were screened, 82 student tested positive and completed a clinical interview with the New Horizons TeenScreen Coordinator who administers the test. Of the 82 who tested positive, 51 teens were referred for further mental health evaluation and 31 students did not require a referral, or were a ?“false positive.?”
Board viewpoints
During discussion of the contract, Board member Dr. Jim Brink stated TeenScreen, ?“Causes me concern...It?’s not clear to me this is a school function.?”
Board member Gail Oakes agreed, stating, ?“We may be overstepping our bounds.?”
Oakes believes the results may be misinterpreted if the teen is screened shortly after a traumatic event such as a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Board President Lisa Reade disagreed, saying, ?“We would all like to believe many things are not the school?’s responsibility.?”
She added the school is required to report suspected abuse, and, ?“In some ways I look at this as the same thing.?”
Board member Lori Oakes expressed the belief that, ?“If it helps one student, it?’s worth it.?”
Superintendent Dr. Robert Thiede defended the program, stating, ?“It?’s strictly up to parents and guardians?” whether their child participates. He also referred to the recent survey of high school seniors in the county on alcohol and drug use and indicated it showed the need.
Thiede said the high school principals and guidance staff all have positive feelings about the program. He said the New Horizons TeenScreen Coordinator was able to free up the guidance counselors to be able to help more students, and the coordinator, a social worker, was also able to deal with more intense behavioral issues that the guidance staff doesn?’t feel capable of handling.
Reade added the phrase ?“with parental consent?” to the paragraph of the contract that deals with referring a student who tests positive to a licensed mental health professional.
The board approved the new TeenScreen contract 4-1, with Oakes dissenting.
For information questioning TeenScreen, visit the following Web sites: www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen and www.teenscreentruth.org.
For information about TeenScreen, visit the official TeenScreen Web site at www.teenscreen.org.
