According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 11 to 18 in the United States. The strongest risk factors for suicide in youth are depression and substance abuse. Alarmingly, 80 percent of youth with mental illness are not identified or receiving services.
National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), Oct. 8, is an ideal time to promote depression awareness in schools and after-school programs. Twenty-five years ago, Screening for Mental Health Inc.launched the first ever NDSD during Mental Illness Awareness Week in October. This annual, nationwide initiative seeks to connect individuals with anonymous mental health screenings and quality, local treatment options. Awareness and screening initiatives like NDSD provide an opportunity to talk to students, share educational resources and spread the word about mood disorders.
[For more of this story, written by Michelle Holmberg, go to http://youthtoday.org/2015/10/...ression-saves-lives/]
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