YScreen Information for Teachers

August 20, 2019

YScreen Information for Teachers

The YScreen staff understands that as teachers you play an important role in your students’ lives. You also play a significant role in supporting their emotional health and in suicide prevention. Although it may not always seem like it, your voice and influence on a student’s decisions is significant. This is why the messages you give your students that promote the YScreen Program are very important. The following is a list of information about the YScreen Program. Towards the end of the list are several suggestions on how you can encourage your students to participate in the YScreen Program. Visit the school screening page to learn when screening starts at your school.

We appreciate the work you do in helping to promote the emotional well-being of the students at your school.If you have any questions or suggestions for the YScreen staff, please contact us at (920) 906-6571.

Helpful information & tips:

  • YScreen is a program that identifies risk factors associated with depression, anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse, and suicide.
  • YScreen is the only program in our community that addresses the issue of teen emotional health and suicide prevention through screening and follow through.
  • YScreen is free and confidential. The YScreen staff does not share the results of the screen with any teachers or school staff unless the student’s parents agree to this, and the results are not stored with academic records.
  • The YScreen Program helps pinpoint a problem in its early stages and gives support to families to address the problem in a positive and helpful way.
  • The computerized screen is very simple and it takes students about 5 minutes to complete.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all youth have an emotional health screen at least once a year, however, it is beneficial to take the screen every 3 to 6 months. If a student states that they took the screen in the summer at their doctor’s office, it is best to encourage them to take the screen again.
  • Unaddressed emotional health concerns affect all aspects of a teen’s life including their academic performance, extra-curricular activities and social relationships.
  • Taking the YScreen is simple and it is like any other health checkup. Just as many of us go to the doctor and dentist on a yearly basis it is important for us to checkup on how we are doing emotionally. It is important to get a physical concern taken care of, it is also important to address any emotional concerns that come up.
  • Since 2002, there have been nearly 14,000 youth screened and over 2,600 have been referred for further evaluation.

Encouraging Your Students to Participate

  • Everyone has problems that come up from time to time, it is important that we checkup on how we are doing emotionally and get help when we need it.
  • Being a teenager can be very difficult. There are many things that teachers, parents and friends expect of you. YScreen is a program to check in on how things are going for you and offers help if you need it.
  • Our emotional health can directly impact our physical health. If we are very stressed for long periods of time we may end up losing sleep and our immune system can become weak and our bodies become more at risk for physical problems.
  • When we are worried, depressed or anxious it makes it difficult to focus or concentrate on our daily activities such as school work, sports, work and socializing with friends and family.

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