Mental Health Screenings: A Necessity in American Education
Photo from Timur Weber via Pexels.
The past year at Hamilton was hard. With multiple tragedies, mental health should be at the forefront of our minds. Poor mental health puts people at risk and can negatively affect learning on top of it. Educators need to know if something is wrong and subsequently if their students need help. That is why we have mental health screenings.
Mental health screenings are simple. They ask how much energy you have, to rate your nervousness on a scale of one to five, restlessness, or if you believed everything required effort, to name a few examples. They do not diagnose nor strictly screen for mental health issues. For instance, sluggishness can be an early sign of diabetes. The screenings do just that: screen for issues that may put individuals at risk. It is no different than screening for vision problems or auditory ones. If there is a concerning result, then further action can be taken. Mental health is an equally worthwhile venture.
However, current United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is looking into taking away these screenings in schools. He does this in favor of promoting the “old ways” of helping people: by monitoring nutrition and fitness and promoting strong families and hope. He and Linda McMahon, current United States Secretary of Education, believe that mental health screenings create stigma around the subject and “medicalizes normal childlike behavior.”
In truth, these screenings do just the opposite. They offer a way to check-in that is common and non-invasive. Normalizing screenings actually reduces the stigma behind getting help. They raise awareness and encourage people to seek help. Not only that, but they can allow the school to better understand larger overarching issues at hand. This understanding allows for the ability to address these issues at large.
That being said, Kennedy Jr.’s and McMahon’s suggestions should not be discredited—there is great value in keeping a good diet, getting proper exercise, and having a proper support system. They are all crucial for this period of development in young people’s lives. Yet those things alone cannot fully prevent mental health struggles, even if you meet all the bars. People may still need help.
It is especially important for adolescents to have an opportunity to be assessed for risk. According to the World Health Organization, “one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder.” Unfortunately, it is very common in this age group. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of illness and disability and the third leading cause of death for adolescents (following unintentional injury and homicide). Screening at this age can get people help earlier, which can have benefits not only with quicker treatment, but it can last into adulthood with improving happiness and bettering opportunities for success.
Medline Plus highlights similar facts, such as “More than half of all Americans will have a mental disorder at some point in their lives,” and “Mental health symptoms can be a sign of certain physical conditions. And certain mental disorders can increase the risk of developing physical health problems.” What is tested in screening tests can truly benefit in numerous ways, mentally or physically.
There is always help available. No one is ever alone. Mental health screenings can provide a way to check in, but they will only continue to be effective if they remain in place.
If you or someone you know needs immediate help for a mental health disorder:
Call 911 or go to your local emergency room
Contact a crisis hotline. In the United States, you can reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any time:
Call or text 988
Chat online with Lifeline Chat
TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988
Call your mental health provider or other provider.
Reach out to a loved one or close friend.
