Early identification of students with support needs in mental health

Abstract

In Australia 14 percent of adolescents will have mental health problems, but unfortunately, only a quarter of these adolescents will be identified and therefore will be able to access help. It is for this reason that schools must strive to identify mental health problems in their students, while at the same time offer appropriate treatment, or referral to other agencies which can provide appropriate treatment.If these students are not identified, they are not referred and therefore are left untreated, often with compounding problems. Commitment to identification of student mental health needs must be a priority to ensure that young people have the access to support which is needed to improve their mental health and subsequent quality of life.