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Columbia TeenScreen®

TeenScreen, developed by Dr. David Shaffer of  Columbia University in New York, is an interactive computer questionnaire that screens and identifies youth for various "at risk" issues that, if left untreated, might lead to mental disease, depression, or suicide.

The TeenScreen Program is totally voluntary and is offered to 9th and 10th grade students in Oklahoma City Schools. If a student's screening indicates any symptoms, he or she will then be interviewed by a licensed clinician for further evaluation. With the student's consent, parents will also be notified of the results. MHACO works with identified youth and their families to help them access needed services. Student screenings are confidential and will not be shared with the school unless the student and parents agree to do so. The TeenScreen Program is free to students and participation is voluntary.

• In the U.S., roughly one young person age 24 or younger dies of suicide every two hours.
• In Oklahoma, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people 15-24 years old.
• Ninety percent of teenagers who die by suicide suffer from a treatable mental illness

The Columbia TeenScreen® Program has been successfully implemented at 300 sites in more than 43 states. Research conducted on the program reveals it is effective in identifying youth at risk for depression, suicide, and other mental disorders.