Should we introduce mandatory mental health screening for young people or soldiers? The issue was the subject of some controversy in the US in 2004, when a mandatory system was first proposed and where an organisation called TeenScreen has been carrying out short tests in schools and youth groups.
The issue has resurfaced this year, with presidential hopeful Barack Obama suggesting all military personnel should be screened.
On the face of it, screening sounds like a good idea. If we can catch health problems early we stand a better chance of treating them. The US TeenScreen programme is particularly focused on preventing teen suicide, which has to be a good thing. And why should mental health screening not be put on the same footing as physical health screening.
The problem appears to lie with the idea that the tests should be mandatory. Physical health checks are not mandatory for children and some see it as an abuse of their civil liberties. There is also much doubt as to whether screening actually works and some see it as designed to benefit the pharmaceutical industry, which will have a whole load of new clients to sell drugs to.
The Pharma Gazette blog considers the pros and cons but to be honest I don't think it's workable and risks putting children in a mental health ghetto before their brains have even had a chance to develop fully.
I agree with you...on the surface anything that helps our children initially sounds like a good idea. Having had a child that as a teen started to manifiest symptoms of depression I was pleased when her school noticed, and cared enough, to call and offer up their observations. Kids, especially teens, are vey good at hiding things from their parents. Because of the early warning we were able to get her appropriate help. However, as I said in my article, the thought of the government mandating anything to do with our children rubs me the wrong way. Add in the stigma of mental health illness and I don't see much of a benefit to our kids.
There is a psychiatric / pharmaceutical plan to "suicide screen" every child in the United States before they graduate from high school. Evidence exists that shows massive pharmaceutical backing that will result in even more overdrugging of kids with psychiatric drugs .
Can you take a moment to view this very short video? Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfU9puZQKBY
And then sign and forward this petition http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html to your associates and everyone you know? It already has over 22,500 signatures.
It's simply a race to inform enough parents so something can be done about this.
Thanks for that. The video was interesting. It certainly seems like a troubling agenda. And where the US leads the UK inevitably seems to follow.