Wisconsin: TeenScreen has loud critics around the country

[Guest guest]

It will only get louder as more people are informed with this:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html Please pass the

word.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/articles/index.php?articleNum=8472

Kenosha News

TeenScreen under fire in Unified suicide fight

Barncard

Nov 15, 2006

Months before a depression/suicide screening could begin in Kenosha

schools, debate on the efficacy and appropriateness of the program is in

full swing.

Supporters and detractors of Columbia University's TeenScreen addressed

a Kenosha Unified School Board committee Tuesday, holding up the program

- designed to identify suicide risk factors in children age 11-18 - as

both a necessary opportunity for a group under-served by mental health

care professionals and as lawsuit bait overreaching a school district's

place in the community.

Kucak, Unified coordinator of student support, told the School

Board's Curriculum and Program Committee that TeenScreen - a

computer-based questionnaire that would be administered to Unified

eighth-graders as part of their health class unit on mental health

issues - was a worthy response to Unfied's seven confirmed teen suicides

since September 2005.

" This is a tried-and-true method for identifying kids; otherwise, we

would not consider it, " Kucak said.

TeenScreen requires consent from a parent and the assent of the student

taking the 10- to 15-minute questionnaire which deals, in part, with

moods, anxiety, substance abuse and physical health.

Students whose answers do not indicate risk factors for suicidal

thoughts have a short meeting with a TeenScreen team member immediately

following the screening.

Students identified as at risk by the screening meet with a volunteer

mental health professional - also immediately after screening - who

assesses the results and the child. If the professional finds the

student to be at risk, parents are notified for a meeting and offered a

referral to mental health care providers in the area.

" This is a screening program that has very successful results, " said

, Kenosha County director of nursing and a TeenScreen

proponent. " To receive access to care is really difficult given

insurance situations and costs. TeenScreen is a very good way for

children to get an assessment. "

But TeenScreen, which is being explored by Unified in association with

Congregations United to Serve Humanity, has loud critics around the

country. Amy Grimely, interim president of the newly formed Kenosha

Parents Union, http://kenoshaparentsunion.org has examined that

criticism and believes TeenScreen is not effective and questions its

motives.

" I do believe the school district has a problem, " Grimely said. " I do

not believe this is the answer. "

Grimely said there is no evidence the program prevents suicide and that

it falsely labels a number of children as being suicidal. She also said

the program was designed by drug companies with the intent of getting

more children to take prescription drugs.

She was also disappointed to hear that Unified had been considering the

program since 2004 without opening a dialogue with parents.

" They should have been blowing trumpets, saying, 'This is what we are

doing,' " said Grimsely, who pointed to a lawsuit in Indiana that

challenges TeenScreen as a reason for Unified to be cautious.

Nordquist, publisher of the Daily Kenoshan, a community Web site,

said TeenScreen reaches too far into students' lives.

" To be saying you need a psychiatrist or you are suicidal, that's not

for a school to say, " Nordquist said.

While representatives of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and

CUSH supported the program and the Parents Union, Daily Kenoshan and a

group called Freedom 2000 railed against it, Pierce said the School

Board would not likely take up TeenScreen again in January and look for

alternatives in the meantime.

Board members on the committee gave TeenScreen little chance.

" I don't even know if this can pass, " board member Gilbert Ostman said.

" I don't know how you're going to get by the controversy. "

" I'm not sure how much legwork was done in looking into TeenScreen, and

where their funding comes from. From what I've seen, I don't like the

roots of this, " board member Pam s said. " There is no chance I

would allow this in this school district. "

Unified would be better off working on a program teaching students to

identify the signs of suicide in each other that the district recently

started using in its high schools, Grimely said.

" This is where I would focus our efforts, not on a program that is

controversial around the country, " she said.

+++

Let's find more " loud critics around the country " . Pass the word:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

[Guest guest]

It will only get louder as more people are informed with this:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html Please pass the

word.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/articles/index.php?articleNum=8472

Kenosha News

TeenScreen under fire in Unified suicide fight

Barncard

Nov 15, 2006

Months before a depression/suicide screening could begin in Kenosha

schools, debate on the efficacy and appropriateness of the program is in

full swing.

Supporters and detractors of Columbia University's TeenScreen addressed

a Kenosha Unified School Board committee Tuesday, holding up the program

- designed to identify suicide risk factors in children age 11-18 - as

both a necessary opportunity for a group under-served by mental health

care professionals and as lawsuit bait overreaching a school district's

place in the community.

Kucak, Unified coordinator of student support, told the School

Board's Curriculum and Program Committee that TeenScreen - a

computer-based questionnaire that would be administered to Unified

eighth-graders as part of their health class unit on mental health

issues - was a worthy response to Unfied's seven confirmed teen suicides

since September 2005.

" This is a tried-and-true method for identifying kids; otherwise, we

would not consider it, " Kucak said.

TeenScreen requires consent from a parent and the assent of the student

taking the 10- to 15-minute questionnaire which deals, in part, with

moods, anxiety, substance abuse and physical health.

Students whose answers do not indicate risk factors for suicidal

thoughts have a short meeting with a TeenScreen team member immediately

following the screening.

Students identified as at risk by the screening meet with a volunteer

mental health professional - also immediately after screening - who

assesses the results and the child. If the professional finds the

student to be at risk, parents are notified for a meeting and offered a

referral to mental health care providers in the area.

" This is a screening program that has very successful results, " said

, Kenosha County director of nursing and a TeenScreen

proponent. " To receive access to care is really difficult given

insurance situations and costs. TeenScreen is a very good way for

children to get an assessment. "

But TeenScreen, which is being explored by Unified in association with

Congregations United to Serve Humanity, has loud critics around the

country. Amy Grimely, interim president of the newly formed Kenosha

Parents Union, http://kenoshaparentsunion.org has examined that

criticism and believes TeenScreen is not effective and questions its

motives.

" I do believe the school district has a problem, " Grimely said. " I do

not believe this is the answer. "

Grimely said there is no evidence the program prevents suicide and that

it falsely labels a number of children as being suicidal. She also said

the program was designed by drug companies with the intent of getting

more children to take prescription drugs.

She was also disappointed to hear that Unified had been considering the

program since 2004 without opening a dialogue with parents.

" They should have been blowing trumpets, saying, 'This is what we are

doing,' " said Grimsely, who pointed to a lawsuit in Indiana that

challenges TeenScreen as a reason for Unified to be cautious.

Nordquist, publisher of the Daily Kenoshan, a community Web site,

said TeenScreen reaches too far into students' lives.

" To be saying you need a psychiatrist or you are suicidal, that's not

for a school to say, " Nordquist said.

While representatives of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and

CUSH supported the program and the Parents Union, Daily Kenoshan and a

group called Freedom 2000 railed against it, Pierce said the School

Board would not likely take up TeenScreen again in January and look for

alternatives in the meantime.

Board members on the committee gave TeenScreen little chance.

" I don't even know if this can pass, " board member Gilbert Ostman said.

" I don't know how you're going to get by the controversy. "

" I'm not sure how much legwork was done in looking into TeenScreen, and

where their funding comes from. From what I've seen, I don't like the

roots of this, " board member Pam s said. " There is no chance I

would allow this in this school district. "

Unified would be better off working on a program teaching students to

identify the signs of suicide in each other that the district recently

started using in its high schools, Grimely said.

" This is where I would focus our efforts, not on a program that is

controversial around the country, " she said.

+++

Let's find more " loud critics around the country " . Pass the word:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

[Guest guest]

It will only get louder as more people are informed with this:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html Please pass the

word.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/articles/index.php?articleNum=8472

Kenosha News

TeenScreen under fire in Unified suicide fight

Barncard

Nov 15, 2006

Months before a depression/suicide screening could begin in Kenosha

schools, debate on the efficacy and appropriateness of the program is in

full swing.

Supporters and detractors of Columbia University's TeenScreen addressed

a Kenosha Unified School Board committee Tuesday, holding up the program

- designed to identify suicide risk factors in children age 11-18 - as

both a necessary opportunity for a group under-served by mental health

care professionals and as lawsuit bait overreaching a school district's

place in the community.

Kucak, Unified coordinator of student support, told the School

Board's Curriculum and Program Committee that TeenScreen - a

computer-based questionnaire that would be administered to Unified

eighth-graders as part of their health class unit on mental health

issues - was a worthy response to Unfied's seven confirmed teen suicides

since September 2005.

" This is a tried-and-true method for identifying kids; otherwise, we

would not consider it, " Kucak said.

TeenScreen requires consent from a parent and the assent of the student

taking the 10- to 15-minute questionnaire which deals, in part, with

moods, anxiety, substance abuse and physical health.

Students whose answers do not indicate risk factors for suicidal

thoughts have a short meeting with a TeenScreen team member immediately

following the screening.

Students identified as at risk by the screening meet with a volunteer

mental health professional - also immediately after screening - who

assesses the results and the child. If the professional finds the

student to be at risk, parents are notified for a meeting and offered a

referral to mental health care providers in the area.

" This is a screening program that has very successful results, " said

, Kenosha County director of nursing and a TeenScreen

proponent. " To receive access to care is really difficult given

insurance situations and costs. TeenScreen is a very good way for

children to get an assessment. "

But TeenScreen, which is being explored by Unified in association with

Congregations United to Serve Humanity, has loud critics around the

country. Amy Grimely, interim president of the newly formed Kenosha

Parents Union, http://kenoshaparentsunion.org has examined that

criticism and believes TeenScreen is not effective and questions its

motives.

" I do believe the school district has a problem, " Grimely said. " I do

not believe this is the answer. "

Grimely said there is no evidence the program prevents suicide and that

it falsely labels a number of children as being suicidal. She also said

the program was designed by drug companies with the intent of getting

more children to take prescription drugs.

She was also disappointed to hear that Unified had been considering the

program since 2004 without opening a dialogue with parents.

" They should have been blowing trumpets, saying, 'This is what we are

doing,' " said Grimsely, who pointed to a lawsuit in Indiana that

challenges TeenScreen as a reason for Unified to be cautious.

Nordquist, publisher of the Daily Kenoshan, a community Web site,

said TeenScreen reaches too far into students' lives.

" To be saying you need a psychiatrist or you are suicidal, that's not

for a school to say, " Nordquist said.

While representatives of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and

CUSH supported the program and the Parents Union, Daily Kenoshan and a

group called Freedom 2000 railed against it, Pierce said the School

Board would not likely take up TeenScreen again in January and look for

alternatives in the meantime.

Board members on the committee gave TeenScreen little chance.

" I don't even know if this can pass, " board member Gilbert Ostman said.

" I don't know how you're going to get by the controversy. "

" I'm not sure how much legwork was done in looking into TeenScreen, and

where their funding comes from. From what I've seen, I don't like the

roots of this, " board member Pam s said. " There is no chance I

would allow this in this school district. "

Unified would be better off working on a program teaching students to

identify the signs of suicide in each other that the district recently

started using in its high schools, Grimely said.

" This is where I would focus our efforts, not on a program that is

controversial around the country, " she said.

+++

Let's find more " loud critics around the country " . Pass the word:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

[Guest guest]

It will only get louder as more people are informed with this:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html Please pass the

word.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/articles/index.php?articleNum=8472

Kenosha News

TeenScreen under fire in Unified suicide fight

Barncard

Nov 15, 2006

Months before a depression/suicide screening could begin in Kenosha

schools, debate on the efficacy and appropriateness of the program is in

full swing.

Supporters and detractors of Columbia University's TeenScreen addressed

a Kenosha Unified School Board committee Tuesday, holding up the program

- designed to identify suicide risk factors in children age 11-18 - as

both a necessary opportunity for a group under-served by mental health

care professionals and as lawsuit bait overreaching a school district's

place in the community.

Kucak, Unified coordinator of student support, told the School

Board's Curriculum and Program Committee that TeenScreen - a

computer-based questionnaire that would be administered to Unified

eighth-graders as part of their health class unit on mental health

issues - was a worthy response to Unfied's seven confirmed teen suicides

since September 2005.

" This is a tried-and-true method for identifying kids; otherwise, we

would not consider it, " Kucak said.

TeenScreen requires consent from a parent and the assent of the student

taking the 10- to 15-minute questionnaire which deals, in part, with

moods, anxiety, substance abuse and physical health.

Students whose answers do not indicate risk factors for suicidal

thoughts have a short meeting with a TeenScreen team member immediately

following the screening.

Students identified as at risk by the screening meet with a volunteer

mental health professional - also immediately after screening - who

assesses the results and the child. If the professional finds the

student to be at risk, parents are notified for a meeting and offered a

referral to mental health care providers in the area.

" This is a screening program that has very successful results, " said

, Kenosha County director of nursing and a TeenScreen

proponent. " To receive access to care is really difficult given

insurance situations and costs. TeenScreen is a very good way for

children to get an assessment. "

But TeenScreen, which is being explored by Unified in association with

Congregations United to Serve Humanity, has loud critics around the

country. Amy Grimely, interim president of the newly formed Kenosha

Parents Union, http://kenoshaparentsunion.org has examined that

criticism and believes TeenScreen is not effective and questions its

motives.

" I do believe the school district has a problem, " Grimely said. " I do

not believe this is the answer. "

Grimely said there is no evidence the program prevents suicide and that

it falsely labels a number of children as being suicidal. She also said

the program was designed by drug companies with the intent of getting

more children to take prescription drugs.

She was also disappointed to hear that Unified had been considering the

program since 2004 without opening a dialogue with parents.

" They should have been blowing trumpets, saying, 'This is what we are

doing,' " said Grimsely, who pointed to a lawsuit in Indiana that

challenges TeenScreen as a reason for Unified to be cautious.

Nordquist, publisher of the Daily Kenoshan, a community Web site,

said TeenScreen reaches too far into students' lives.

" To be saying you need a psychiatrist or you are suicidal, that's not

for a school to say, " Nordquist said.

While representatives of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and

CUSH supported the program and the Parents Union, Daily Kenoshan and a

group called Freedom 2000 railed against it, Pierce said the School

Board would not likely take up TeenScreen again in January and look for

alternatives in the meantime.

Board members on the committee gave TeenScreen little chance.

" I don't even know if this can pass, " board member Gilbert Ostman said.

" I don't know how you're going to get by the controversy. "

" I'm not sure how much legwork was done in looking into TeenScreen, and

where their funding comes from. From what I've seen, I don't like the

roots of this, " board member Pam s said. " There is no chance I

would allow this in this school district. "

Unified would be better off working on a program teaching students to

identify the signs of suicide in each other that the district recently

started using in its high schools, Grimely said.

" This is where I would focus our efforts, not on a program that is

controversial around the country, " she said.

+++

Let's find more " loud critics around the country " . Pass the word:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html