Averting Targeted School Violence: Identify and Treat Youth Mental Health

A report released in April by the US Secret Service, Averting Targeted School Violence, states school shooters all faced mental health issues including suicidality, and they intended to die by suicide as part of the attack.

With kids returning to schools by the fall after the COVID pandemic, many are stressed, and have anxiety or depression. Michigan's Department of Education (MDE) has chosen mdlogix to offer all Intermediate School Districts in the state the software platform called BH-Works to screen students K - 12. The process will address behavioral mental health issues and provide referrals and care coordination along with outcome measures.

In Pennsylvania where BH-Works has been in use since 2013, school counseling staff reported 50% decrease in time spent screening students. They screened more than 13,000 students and referred more than 10,000 at-risk students to treatment and support. With a comprehensive, validated system to screen, assess, treat and monitor outcomes, we can help our youth and prevent another tragedy.