298: Mental health screening in CF: Thematic analysis of determinants of implementation in Europe and the United States

For a variety of reasons related to pre- and post-migration factors, refugees experience a high rate of mental health problems. The early detection of these problems among refugees arriving in the United States benefits those individuals, the agencies that sponsor them and the communities that absorb them. The development of culturally-sensitive mental health screening instruments to identify pathology among refugees has been the focus of some research. This study explores the reactions of eight Bosnian refugees who were administered the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 as part of a mental health screening during the resettlement process. Through structured interviews with this sample, the authors elicited qualitative data about the mental health screening, from which preliminary conclusions were drawn about including such screening in the resettlement process.

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Mandatory Mental Health Screening for Justice-Involved Youth: A National Priority

Youth Justice ◽

10.1177/14732254211052334 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 147322542110523

Author(s):

Deneil D. Christian

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Justice System ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

The United States ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Contemporary Issue ◽

National Priority

The prevalence of mental health disorders is higher among justice-involved youth than youth in the general population. Despite mental health being a pressing contemporary issue in the juvenile justice system, fewer than half of the states in the United States mandate the use of a mental health screening for youth in the juvenile justice system. The need to utilize a mental health screening tool in all 50 states should be a national priority. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2) is the recommended screening tool that should be adopted nationally. Currently, 21 of the 24 states that mandate the use of a screening tool utilize MAYSI-2. Furthermore, it is recognized as having the most empirical evidence as an instrument at the juvenile justice system’s entry and transitional points.

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Findings from Mental Health Screening of Newly Arrived Refugees in Colorado

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/003335490512000303 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 120 (3) ◽

pp. 224-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Daniel Savin ◽

Deborah J. Seymour ◽

Linh Nguyen Littleford ◽

Juli Bettridge ◽

Alexis Giese

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

The United States ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Psychiatric Evaluation ◽

Screening Process ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Screening ◽

High Level

States are required to provide a public health screening for all newly arrived refugees in the United States. In 1997, a comprehensive program was created to include both a physical examination and a mental health screening. This article provides a complete description of the mental health screening process, including two illustrative cases, and reports information about the refugees who participated in the program. Ten percent of screened refugees were offered mental health referrals; of those, 37% followed up. Refugees who presented for treatment reported a higher number of symptoms upon screening compared with those who were offered referrals but did not follow up. Psychiatric evaluation confirmed that those who screened positive and presented for treatment were experiencing a high level of suffering and qualified for mental health diagnoses. The findings support inclusion of a mental health screening as part of the public health screening.

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Addressing the Need for Mental Health Screening of Newly Resettled Refugees

Journal of Primary Care & Community Health ◽

10.1177/2150131916636630 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 199-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Kelly Polcher ◽

Susan Calloway

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Community Health ◽

Emotional Distress ◽

The United States ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Refugee Health ◽

Health Disorders

Background and Purpose: Refugees resettling to the United States are at increased risk for mental health disorders, which can lead to difficulty with adaptation and poor health outcomes. Standardized mental health screening of refugees is often neglected at primary care and community health clinics. A pilot project aimed to initiate early mental health screening for newly resettled adult refugees was implemented at a community health center in Fargo, North Dakota. Methods: Current refugee screening processes were evaluated to determine appropriate timing for refugee mental health screening. This took into consideration time, staffing, interpreter availability and the refugee “honeymoon” phase following resettlement. The Refugee Health Screener–15 (RHS-15) was identified as an efficient, valid, and reliable tool for assessing emotional distress in this population and was integrated into refugee health screening practices. Results: The RHS-15 was administered to 178 adult refugees with arrival dates between August 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014. Of those screened, 51 (28.6%) screened positive for risk of emotional distress. Follow-up with primary care provider was completed with 30 (59%) of those who screened positive. Half (15) requested mental health treatment. Although the largest group of refugees during this period of time were resettling from Bhutan, refugees from Iraq had greater incidence of positive screening compared with those from Bhutan. Refugees from Iraq were also found to have significantly higher scores on the RHS-15. Conclusions: Although there are some challenges to implementing a standardized mental health screening for refugees, this pilot reiterates the need for standardized mental health screening of refugees. Routine mental health screening should be a part of the overall comprehensive health assessment provided to refugees nationwide. Considerations should be taken in regards to how refugees from Iraq have even greater risk of mental health disorders compared to other refugee groups.

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“They Make These Laws to Put Us Back in Our Place”: A Found Poem on the Trauma, Hope, and Resilience of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth and Discriminatory Policies

Qualitative Inquiry ◽

10.1177/10778004211030198 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107780042110301

Author(s):

Megan S. Paceley ◽

Emera Greenwood ◽

Zosimo A. Dikitsas ◽

Jessica N. Fish ◽

Lauren B. McInroy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

The United States ◽

Current Policy ◽

Call To Action ◽

Gender Diverse ◽

Youth Research ◽

And Gender

In early 2021, over 50 bills were proposed to limit rights for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth across the United States. Anti-TGD policies and rhetoric are associated with poorer mental health for TGD youth. We used focus groups with a TGD youth research board ( N = 6) to explore the impacts of the current policy climate. Following thematic analysis, we used quotes from participants in the form of a research poem to share the story of the findings. We share this poem as a call to action for scholars and advocates to resist these harmful and dangerous policies.

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