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Abstract: 

The critical need to address children’s mental health problems, coupled with schools’ unparalleled access to youth, has prompted national interest in the importance of improving prevention and early identification services in schools. School mental health programs have progressively expanded in the United States over the past few decades to support such a continuum of mental health care for students. Because universal screening aids substantially in the prevention and early intervention of mental health disorders, school mental health programs have recommended formal screening programs in the schools to detect mental health problems. Gaps in the research present challenges, however, as schools seek to adopt universal screening programs. This paper reviews the importance of, and challenges in, universal mental health screening in schools and presents a framework for supporting educators and mental health professionals in making informed decisions about implementing a screening system within the school context to identify youth at risk for mental health problems.

Keywords: Mental health screening; school mental health programs; universal screening

Affiliations:  1: Virginia Commonwealth University.