Davis County offers teens free mental health screening this month
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 988. National Alliance on Mental Illness Utah: namiut.org
CLEARFIELD, Utah (ABC4) — Utah teens who may be struggling have a free opportunity to check in with a mental health professional for a screening in Davis County later this month.
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The community-wide event will take place on Thursday, March 21 at North Davis Junior High for teens between 11 and 18 years old — which national research shows is a vulnerable age for Utah’s youth.
Data provided by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services shows Utah’s suicide rate was nearly double the national rate. Suicide was found to be the leading cause of death for Utahns aged 10 to 17 and deaths are only part of the problem. DHHS said many more Utahns are hospitalized or treated in emergency rooms for suicide attempts than those who are fatally injured.
Recent surveys of Davis County School District students found a startling number of students have been struggling with mental health. Davis School District K-12 Prevention Coordinator Christi Blankman said over 66% of students reported having moderate depressive symptoms and nearly 17% have seriously considered attempting suicide.
Though the numbers may seem bleak, Blankman said Utah’s youth can make it through their struggles with the right help, which this free event aims to help provide.
“Youth are resilient and can overcome mental health struggles with the right support, treatment and resources,” said Blankman. “This event is set up to help youth and families identify if there are areas of concern and then link them to services.”
The screenings themselves are not full psychological evaluations, however, they will provide an opportunity for teens and their parents to talk with a mental health professional.
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Davis HELPS Coalition Coordinator Teresa Smith said access to behavioral health services has been a top public health priority since 2013.
“The purpose of this event is to provide access to a mental health screen, to talk individually with a professional, and to link to appropriate service providers and resources,” said Smith.
Each appointment will be 30 minutes long and available starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 7 p.m. at North Davis Junior High. Teens and their parents or legal guardians – who must be in attendance during the appointment – have until Tuesday, March 12 to register for the event.
Once registered, parents and teens will fill out an online questionnaire. A mental health professional will go over the results of the questionnaire during the screening and talk about if a follow-up is needed. The Davis County Health Department said both the screening and meetings will address a student’s social and emotional needs, depression, anxiety, trauma, suicide, and safety concerns.
To register for the free mental health screening, visit the Davis Behavioral Health website here or call Angie Smith from Davis Behavioral Health at (801) 336-1742.
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