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Under the hot summer son in August of 2000, my son died after his third suicide attempt. At that moment, the world changed colors for me and my family.

The following year while visiting relatives, my cousin gave me a shiny brochure and said, I think you might be interested in starting this program in Monroe. It was much too painful to look at, much less discuss it with anyone. As time went on, however, it began to nudge me and one day I looked at it and began to read about TeenScreen.

In the summer of 2003, a friend suggested that I contact the Junior League of Northeast Louisiana, Inc. I sought their support to start a local screening program and shared my own experience as a testament to the need for programs like TeenScreen. The Junior League took time to review the program, and in 2004 voted to support the project.

In the fall of 2005, TeenScreen of Northeast Louisiana began offering mental health check-ups to the Monroe community. By the end of the 2005-2006 school year, three hundred students were screened. During the fall of 2006, five hundred students were screened and by the end of the 2006-2007 school year one thousand will receive screening through our local TeenScreen program.

Sometimes when a pebble falls in a lake the ripples go on forever.

Margie Godwin
Advisory Board Member
TeenScreen of Northeast Louisiana, Inc.
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Community support and collaboration is the foundation of every successful mental health checkup program. Establishing this support involves educating the public on the serious problem of youth mental illness and suicide and the importance of early intervention and prevention to address these critical issues. 

You can play an important role in mobilizing your community and sharing with others how mental health checkups can help families address these important issues.

There are many ways in which you can advocate for mental health screening in your community:
  1. Build support for your efforts by developing or joining a local suicide prevention coalition, task force, or workgroup that includes individuals that have the authority to help facilitate local screening efforts. Community partnerships and support are critical to the success of local screening efforts. Examples of individuals you may consider including and involving in your plans are: 
                o  School officials, faculty, support staff

                o  Medical, health and mental health professionals

                o  PTA/ PTO members or other parent groups

                o   Administrators from hospitals and mental health agencies

                o   Tribes and tribal leadership

                o   Faith-based organizations

                o   Local colleges and universities

                o   Youth representatives
 
  1. Raise awareness in your community about the serious problem of unidentified mental illness and suicide in youth. Visit our State Resource Center for information on youth mental illness and suicide in your state; become familiar with local statistics and how these issues affect people in your community.
  1. Educate your community on how mental health checkups work and the value of early intervention and prevention programs.  Learn more about the National Center for Mental Health Checkups and our Programs and Initiatives.
  1. Develop a local mental health checkup program by offering to volunteer your time to this initiative or to participate in screening related activities.