Experts at Columbia University Advise Parents to Add Mental Health Check-Up to Teens' Back-to-School List

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NEW YORK, Aug. 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Carmel Hill Center for the Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Illness at Columbia University recommends that parents add a mental health check-up to the annual ritual of getting their teens equipped for the new school year. Today an estimated 525,000 teens suffer from undiagnosed depression. If not detected, depression can lead to poor academic performance, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and possibly a suicide attempt. Each year more than 500,000 teens make a suicide attempt requiring medical attention and suicide is now the third leading cause of death for teens.

Increasing numbers of doctors, schools and youth service programs are offering some type of a mental health check-up. The check-ups range from a few questions during an annual physical exam, to the use of more sophisticated paper and pencil and computer interviews that have been carefully developed and tested with teens.

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Experts at Columbia University Advise Parents to Add Mental Health Check-Up to Teens' Back-to-School List

"A mental health check-up is probably the most important thing you can do to make sure your teen ...

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