Schools Embrace Warning Signs Project

School Districts Incorporate Anti-Violence Forums into Curricula

The momentum of the Warning Signs youth anti-violence initiative continues to grow as the new school year approaches. Practitioners across the country are planning hundreds of back-to-school forums for the fall, and several school districts are working with practitioners to incorporate the program into their curricula for junior high and high school students.

APA has also taken the Warning Signs campaign directly to Littleton, Colorado, site of the devastating Columbine High School shooting. Collaborating with MTV: Music Television, The Denver Post, TCI cable and the Colorado Psychological Association, APA co-sponsored and participated in a community forum for more than 250 youth on July 19 at the Ascot Center in Littleton. The forum was hosted by MTV personality Chris Connelly and featured APA's Executive Director for Professional Practice, Dr. Russ Newman, and Dr. Audrey Brodt from the Colorado Psychological Association.

"This initiative can help communities across the country that want to learn more about how to prevent violence among youth," says Jan Peterson, assistant executive director for public relations and communications. "Practitioners are developing important connections in the community to leverage the effort."

Many school districts have enthusiastically embraced the Warning Signs project and are collaborating with practitioners to bring Warning Signs messages to students.

• In Vancouver, Washington, Dr. Connie Umphred is working with the Vancouver school district to hold forums in the fall at every junior high and high school, and is anticipating that 20,000 students will be reached.
• In Hawaii, one school district has requested that Dr. Randall Braman hold Warning Signs forums for all ninth graders as part of their high school orientation.
• In Michigan, a state senate subcommittee has mandated that every school superintendent review the Warning Signs materials and hold trainings for teachers and staff in the fall.

Since APA launched the Warning Signs campaign in April, more than 1,300 planning kits have been distributed to psychologists around the country. The kits include a discussion outline and other media and promotional materials. In addition, more than 120,000 Warning Signs brochures have been distributed through forums and requested via the campaign's toll-free number: 800.268.0078. "The campaign's current success can be used to build more support for the project," Peterson says. "When talking to school officials, we encourage psychologists to use examples of how other practitioners are working successfully with schools to communicate the Warning Signs information."

Meanwhile, forum planning continues. It's not too late for practitioners to get involved, especially in back-to-school activities. The Campaign Services Bureau supplies:

• Planning kits
• Warning Signs videos
• Warning Signs guides
• Information about collaborating with local cable affiliates
• Connections to other practitioners who have received planning kits
• Data about forums that have been held in your area

The Campaign Services Bureau also needs help from practitioners. Public education campaign coordinators are urged to send in forum evaluation forms, newspaper clippings and videotape copies of media interviews related to the Warning Signs project.

A full report on the project to date is currently being compiled.

Depression Screening Deadline Approaches

The deadline for hosting a depression screening as part of the 1999 National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) is quickly approaching. The 1999 National Depression Screening Day will take place on October 7. Practitioners who wish to host a screening site must register by August 2. National Depression Screening Day is one of several programs coordinated by the National Mental Illness Screening Project (NMISP), a nonprofit organization that provides nationwide mental health screening programs and ensures "cooperation, professionalism, and accountability" in mental illness screenings. Since 1991, NDSD has grown from only 90 sites to more than 3,000 sites and reaches more than 90,000 people.

Psychologists are encouraged to participate and help educate the public about depression and its treatment. The National Depression Screening Day organizers will provide participating sites with implementation instructions, publicity ideas, and the necessary educational and screening materials.

Additional information about screenings can be obtained by writing to National Depression Screening Day, One Washington Street, Suite 304, Wellesley Hills, MA 02181-1706 or faxing (781) 431-7447.