History
Not only is it beneficial for youth and families to have early intervention and act in a preventative manner for a child’s mental health needs, but screening also provides an entry into discussion of a child’s normal mental health developmental trajectory. The following figures demonstrate the importance of screening:
- Approximately 70% of justice-involved youth in Minnesota screen positive for mental health disorders, a figure based on statewide screening protocols initiated in the mid-2000s—and still routinely cited in Minnesota policy evaluations (Juvenile Justice Findings / Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) and 07-08 Juvenile Initiative-Final.pmd).
- Nearly 48% of children investigated by Child Protective Services display clinically significant emotional or behavioral problems at baseline, according to the Third National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well‑Being (NSCAW‑III), which spans the period 2017–2022 (NSCAW III Baseline Report (2017–2022): Child Well-Being).