Screening

President Bush called for making mental health “screening” of all young people “common practice.” Looking for troubled kids sounds good. But this is a mental health system without adequate advocacy, information, empowerment, and alternatives. Mental health screening marches thousands of young people to the door of a troubled mental health system.

News Item The Parental Consent Act of 2007: Support HR 2387!
Once more, the USA Congress is considering a bill to help protect families from being pressured by schools to screen young people for mental health problems. And once more, MindFreedom is issuing an alert to encourage all USA citizens to contact your congressional delegation and support this important bill. In the past, the bill has sailed through the US House, but has gotten stuck in a US Senate committee now run by Senator Ted Kennedy.
Article The Mother’s Act – Mandatory Screening of Moms for Depression is Like a Bad Movie Rerun
Evelyn Pringle covers the push to screen mothers for psychiatric issues in the USA. MindFreedom is mentioned as part of the network of groups fighting this. Blanket screening without adequate advocacy, information and alternatives is worse than nothing, because it marches moms to the door of a mental health system, without considering the inherent problems behind that door.

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