Katie Kettner
“It gets better.” This phrase has been repeatedly used in the past weeks by politicians, musicians, star athletes, actors, and other various members of the media. The reason they’ve been repeating these three words in video messages to teens, whether on TV or over the internet, is because of the recent tragic suicides of several young people in the United States.
One of the most covered deaths was the devastating suicide of 18 year-old Tyler Clementi. Clementi, a student at Rutgers University, jumped off the George Washington Bridge in New Jersey. Just days before his death, videos of Clementi having sexual encounters with another male were secretly streamed on the internet by Clementi’s dorm roommate and the roommate’s friend, making Clementi’s private life a public and humiliating event. It is believed that the posting of these videos led Clementi to end his life (Flecknoe, 2010).
Clementi’s death, along with the suicides of other gay and lesbian teenagers, have brought the serious and extremely tragic results of LGBTQ bullying into the spotlight. However, suicide is a severe, gigantic, and upsetting risk issue for all teens in the U.S. – no matter their sexuality or whether or not they’re bullied.
In Wasthtenaw County, Michigan, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death (Waller, 2009). In the United States, suicide “is the third leading cause of death for persons 10-24 years” (Youth Suicide and Prevention Fact Sheet). Additionally, it is estimated that there are “100-200 suicide attempts for each completed suicide among young people” (Youth Suicide and Prevention Fact Sheet). The 2005 Michigan Youth Behavioral Risk Factor Survey reported that “16% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year” (Waller, 2009). These upsetting statistics show that suicide is a huge problem that calls for drastic policies and programs to address its related issues.
In 2004, the suicide prevention law/policy, Garret Lee Smith Memorial Act, was passed by the 108th Congress. This act, which was created in the memory “of former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith’s son, Garrett, who died by suicide in 2003,” allows federal funding for suicide prevention and mental-health screening (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). This law has allowed other policies involving teen suicide prevention and mental health screenings to be created. One such policy is called Teen Screen.
Best described by the Teen Screen website, The Teen Screen National Center “operates an active federal and state policy effort to encourage the adoption of promising approaches to the early identification of mental illness by working closely with government and advocates, supporting demonstration projects, and collaborating with expert panels” (Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University Policy, 2010)
According to Teen Screen researchers, mental illness in youth is related to suicide, as well as other major issues such as substance abuse, failure in school, crime, and violence. Research has found that “90% of adolescent suicide victims have a psychiatric disorder, with 63% exhibiting symptoms identifiable by screening for at least a year before their death” (Research Supporting the Integration of Mental Health Checkups Into Adolescent Health Care). An alarming 80% of youth with a mental illness are not medically diagnosed as having a mental illness and don’t receive the proper mental health treatment (Research Supporting the Integration of Mental Health Checkups Into Adolescent Health Care). Yet, “70% of adolescents see a physician at least once each year” and only 23% of physicians are screening these adolescents for mental illness (Research Supporting the Integration of Mental Health Checkups Into Adolescent Health Care)
Teen Screen has come up with an effective survey that can be quickly and confidentially completed by a teen at their physician’s office. The survey includes easily understandable questions that teens are to rate as always, sometimes, or never. The Teen Screen survey has proven to work; a study of 2,000 high school students given the Teen Screen survey showed that “74% of students who were contemplating suicide and 50% of students who had made a prior suicide attempt were not previously known to having problems” (Flynn, 2005). Also, “72% of parents report teens doing very well and/or significantly improved after screening” (Flynn, 2005). However, though Teen Screen’s research, efforts, and survey have proven to be an effective and helpful preventative measure benefiting teens across the U.S., many physicians and pediatricians don’t apply it in their practice, and it is not known about to the public, including parents, teachers, and other medical professionals.
Suicide and mental health issues, especially when it comes to youth, have become a focus of mental health professionals in Washtenaw County. These professionals are advocating for more physicians and medical professionals to become more aware and knowledgeable of the legislation and policies relating to this issue, such as Teen Screen and the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, and are pushing for pediatricians to utilize the Teen Screen survey in their practices. The groups Washtenaw Alive and Michigan Prevents Prodromal Progression (M3P) are grant run projects in Washtenaw County that research treatment and provide “assessment and services for young people” (Kelley).
Diagnosing mental health disorders and providing the correct treatment can help teens and many local efforts are being done to spread information on mental health and suicide prevention policies in Washtenaw County. To make sure that “it gets better” for youth in our area and to prevent the loss of young, promising lives, we must advocate for these policies and offer diagnostic tools, treatments, and support.
To advocate for this issue and to spread awareness about these policies, consider these ideas:
· Join the Teen Suicide Youth Advisory Committee at the Ozone House of Ypsilanti. For information call Karyn Boyce at (734) 662-2265 or email at kboyce@ozonehouse.org
· Write or call your state representatives or senators and let them know about Teen Screen and the importance of screening for mental illness and preventing youth suicide.
o To find your representative: http://www.house.gov/
o To find your senator: http://www.senate.gov/
· Spread information on the Teen Screen survey and policies to the people that you know and stay up to date on policies. Bookmark www.teenscreen.org and www.preventmentalillnessMI.org and share these links with your friends, family, and classmates.
Check out other ideas at http://www.teenscreen.org/policy/advocate
Bibliography
Academies, T. N. (2009). Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. 1-4.
Adolescent Mental Health in Michigan. (2003). Retrieved October 1, 2010, from Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University: http://www.teenscreen.org/learn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&Itemid= 7&id=182:michigan
Flecknoe, M. (2010, September 30). Secret Sex Video Linked to Student's Suicide. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/kiah- rutgers-suicide-story,0,7579505.story
Flynn, L. (2005). Science Into Policy. Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University.
Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Access.gpo.gov: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi- bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:s2634enr.txt.pdf
Kelley, T. (n.d.). A Snapshot of Suicide Prevention Activities in Washtenaw County. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from Washtenaw Alive: www.washtenawalive.org
National Legislative Initiatives. (2010). Retrieved October 11, 2010, from American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
Research Supporting the Integration of Mental Health Checkups Into Adolescent Health Care. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2010, from Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups: www.teenscreen.org
Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University Policy. (2010, May 18). Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups: www.teenscreen.org
The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act : http://www.teenscreen.org/images/stories/PDF/GarrettLeeSmithMemorial_Act5.10.pdf
Waller, A. (2009, June 12). Suicide Prevention Plan of Washtenaw County. Retrieved October 12, 2010, from WashtenawAlive.org: http://www.washtenawalive.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/WashtenawSuicidePreventionPlan.pdf
Youth Suicide and Prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups and Columbia University: http://www.teenscreen.org/images/stories/PDF/YouthSuicideandPrevention.pdf
Youth Suicide and Prevention Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2010, from Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University: www.teenscreen.org
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