Bill > S06091

This bill requires annual screenings for depression of students in grades seven through twelve and requires the Department of Education and the Department of Health to review data pertaining to the results of such screenings for local and statewide trends concerning teenage depression. It establishes that the screenings must be conducted by qualified professionals using the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 or an equivalent depression screening tool, and that parents or guardians must be notified of any suspected deviations from the recommended standard. The data collected from the screenings will be used by the departments to identify statewide trends and develop initiatives to address teenage depression.