What is Mental Health Screening?

We want all children and families to be resilient and emotionally healthy. Mental health screening helps ensure children with concerns have timely access to the support they need. We provide clinical care teams and professionals with virtual or onsite, no-cost training to integrate mental health screening within their practice.

Mental health screening involves parent-clinician partnerships – an important concept in medical homes. Early screening helps identify if supports and interventions are needed, sooner rather than later.

During mental health screenings, parents or youth, if age appropriate, complete a questionnaire helping to identify risks for mental and behavioral concerns. The completed questionnaire is scored by clinic staff. Using the results, the clinician and family members can discuss the strengths and potential areas of need. Mental health screening is designed to open doors to supports and services that help children thrive.

Pediatric Mental Health Screening Tools Training

Based on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Mental Health Toolkit and the AAP policy statement on behavioral health integration into pediatric primary care, this educational opportunity is designed to support primary care clinicians in behavioral health provision.

This one-hour module reviews literature and AAP recommendations on pediatric mental health screening. Participants learn about mental health screening tools and local resources. Attendees receive copies of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional – Second Edition and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17.

Clinical & Professional Resources

Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Program (CPCP) 
The Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Program (CPCP) provides consultation, education and referral support to enrolled primary care providers.

Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH)
The Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) has numerous tools and resources to use in supporting children in the area of mental health including, but not limited to, a Feelings Thermometer and Mental Health Crisis Card.

Family Resources

Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) Family Supports
View organizations and resources that can be helpful in giving support to families across Wisconsin.​

Paying for Mental Health Care
A resource to help navigate paying for mental health services.

Questions for Mental Health Agencies
Utilize this family support to help guide you through conversations with agencies.

Waiting for Services
This fact sheet highlights resources and steps you can talk while waiting for services.

Contact Our Staff

Morgan Conti
Program Manager
(414) 337-4566
mconti@childrenswi.org

Anna VerKuilen, MPH
Program Manager
(414) 337-5892
averkuilen@childrenswi.org

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Monthly news, events and resources from the Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative.

The Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program and the Maternal Child Health Program located in the Division of Public Health.

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