Bill > S01006

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. The screenings will be conducted by qualified professionals, such as school psychologists, nurses, or counselors, using standardized tools like the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 or an equivalent depression screening tool. The results will be confidentially shared with the student's parents or guardians, and the school authorities will forward aggregated, non-identifying data to the Departments to help them develop initiatives to address teenage depression.