Needs and Benefits of the Mental Health Screenings in Schools - Essay Example

'Needs and Benefits of the Mental Health Screenings in Schools' is an excellent example of a paper on child development. 
The article entitled “Mental Health Screenings in Schools Help Children” written by Richard A. Friedman and published in the Mental Illness journal in 2012 presented the main idea that a voluntary mental health screening must be proposed to be implemented on a routine and universal basis, particularly in academic settings. One thought that this is the main idea espoused by the author because Friedman initially established that there has been significant information from statistics and previous studies which affirm that voluntary mental screening that has been implemented in schools are able to effectively detect signs of mental dilemma, including “depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and trauma among students” (Friedman 1). More importantly, early detection enabled the prevention of more serious repercussions that evidently lead to suicide in teens.

Likewise, there were three explicitly identified questions that the article eventually addressed given the main idea or the proposition for voluntary mental screening in schools. For one, the statistics indicating high rates for suicides for the age group of 15 to 19 years old have been effectively supported. Secondly, the argument regarding any invasion of privacy that might ensue from the voluntary mental screening was appropriately addressed through non-disclosure clauses and strict confidentiality. Finally, the process of mental screening that adopts follow-up comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, only when a positive result has been duly confirmed and validated, rules out the possibilities of alleged false positives for mental illness.

Position Whether One Agrees or Disagrees with the Author’s Perspective and WHY

One strongly agrees with the authors contention that a voluntary mental screening must be made universal and routinary in academic settings for the following reasons: (1) the voluntary screening has evidently confirmed that it could detect symptoms of mental illnesses, which could not have been detected or disclosed without it; (2) the early detection could significantly assist the teen-agers at risk of contracting further emotional or mental dilemma for not addressing the undetected mental illnesses; (3) the voluntary mental illness screening could significantly prevent teen-agers at risk to even consider suicides or other aggressive and violent behavior; and (4) the privacy and confidential nature of those being subjected to the screening are maintained and sustained.

From the article, there was only one argument that opposed the voluntary mental illness screening through the contentions of Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) who openly opposed the use of federal funds for this purpose (Uncovering an Epidemic—Screening for Mental Illness in Teens; cited by Friedman 2). Likewise, there are also those who apparently consider mental illness as a stigma and having to subject one’s teenaged children to voluntary mental screening was deemed a clear invasion of their privacy (Friedman).

Overall, the apparent benefits of voluntary mental illness screening far outweigh the noted opposing arguments. As emphasized by Friedman, “stigma is real, but unlike suicide, it doesn't kill” (3). Early detection could disclose crucial information on preponderance to mental illness, which could immediately be treated. Any long delay or non-detection of any of the symptoms for mental illnesses have already proven to provide more devastating effects to society.