Tool Kit #3
Mental Health Screening
West Virginia has one of the highest rates of suicide
among young adults in the U.S. In 2012 the WV
legislature passed the Jason Flatt Act, requiring suicide
prevention professional development for all school
personnel.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SCHOOL-WIDE
FOUNDATION OF LEARNING SUPPORTS:
“Screening, as part of a coordinated and comprehensive
school mental health program, complements the mission
of schools, identifies youth in need, links them to
effective services and contributes to positive educational
outcomes….Youth with internalizing disorders such as
depression, anxiety or suicide ideation are not as easily
identified as those with acting-out or externalizing
disorders….For these reasons, formal screening …that
detects depression and suicide ideation are
recommended.”1
West Virginia Expanded School Mental Health Steering Team, 2011
Behavioral health screening programs should adhere to
the following principles:
offered assistance to secure an appointment for
further evaluation.
A note of caution: Screening is intended to over-identify
problems. Thus it is important to follow up with
appropriate assessments and not use the screening as a
basis for diagnosis and treatment.
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Screening must be voluntary and with active parent
consent
Steps for Implementing Screening

Confidentiality must be protected
Screening staff must be qualified and trained
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Policies should follow best practices
Further assessment and immediate access to services
must be build into the plan
Youth needing further evaluation should be offered a
referral to an appropriate mental health provider.
Parents of identified youth must be informed of
screening results and referral recommendations and
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DEFINITION: “Expanded school mental health”
refers to programs that build on core services typically
provided by schools. It is a framework that:
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includes the full continuum of prevention, early
intervention and treatment
serves all students
emphasizes shared responsibility between
schools and community mental health providers
 Designate a school level staff person to coordinate
screening and early identification efforts;
 Convene a group to plan the screening program as
part of a comprehensive school mental health
program and the school’s Response To Intervention
process: include community mental health providers,
parents and student representatives;
 Determine scope and frequency of the screening: all
students, certain grades or classrooms, new students,
students with other risk factors?
 Establish protocols and policies for informing
parents, obtaining consent, responding to students at
risk, follow up, coordination with community mental
health providers, etc.
 Promote buy-in through parent and staff information
and gatekeeper training on suicide prevention for all
school personnel, parents, community;
 Select age appropriate screening measures based on
evidence, feasibility, affordability and acceptance
 Determine which community health providers to use
for referrals; have a written agreement that ensures
timely access for follow up evaluations; and have
trained mental health professionals at the school on
the screening days to ensure that immediate needs
are addressed;
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WV Adolescent Suicide Prevention and Early
Intervention Project (ASPEN)—training and
resources for students and school personnel:
www.wvaspen.com or Barri.Faucett@prestera.org

WVDE Student Needs Assessment Surveys:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/counselors/counselingsurvey.html

Substance Abuse Screening : The WVDHHR’s
Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and
Treatment Project (SBIRT) offers training on
screening for substance and alcohol misuse: Email
James.A.Matney@WV.GOV

Professional Development Jason Flatt Act: http://
www.wvcpd.org/news_description.aspx?
news_id=115

Mental Health Screening in Schools: Handout H,
Depression in Children and Adolescents, Guidelines
for School Practice, NASN and NASP: http://
www.nasponline.org/publications/booksproducts/
N1306.aspx
Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools:
includes protocols, tools, sample forms. Center for
Mental Health Services, SAMHSA, 2012: http://
store.samhsa.gov/product/Preventing-Suicide-AToolkit-for-High-Schools/SMA12-4669
Suicide Prevention and Screening—including
Signs of Suicide, a school based awar eness,
education and screening program: http://
www.mentalhealthscreening.org
Suicide Prevention Resources: http://
csmh.umaryland.edu/resources/CSMH/
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For more information visit
www.schoolmentalhealthwv.org
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suicidepreventionresources7.pdf
Free Assessment Measures: http://
www.schoolmentalhealth.org/Resources/Clin/
QAIRsrc/Free%20Assessments%202.3.09.pdf
The Texas Department of Education’s Guide to
School Health Programs includes a discussion of
screening issues and cautions in Chapter 6: http://
www.dshs.state.tx.us/Layouts/ContentPage.aspx?
PageID=34571&id=34784&terms=texas+guide+to+s
chool+health+programs+chapter+6
Free On Line Training:The SOS Online Tr aining:
http://mentalhealthscreening.org/programs/youthprevention-programs/sos/
REFERENCES
1
Weist, et al, Mental Health Screening in Schools, Journal of
School Health, Feb 2007
Desrochers, J and Houck,G. Depression in Children and
Adolescents: Guidelines for School Practice, “ Mental Health
Screening in Schools “ Handout, http://www.nasponline.org/
publications/booksproducts/N1306.aspx
The purpose of this series of information briefs is to provide a
common framework and recommendations to assist schools and
community mental health providers to more effectively develop a
comprehensive approach to school mental
health that is consistent with current West
Virginia Department of Education policies.
These recommendations and resources have
been reviewed and approved by West
Virginia’s Expanded School Mental Health
Steering Team. For more information
contact info@schoolmentalhealthwv.org
Leadership for The West Virginia School Mental Health Initiative is a shared commitment of
This information brief was prepared by the
Marshall University—Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health
Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities