Submitted by Bedford Youth and Family Services
Bedford Youth and Family Services (BYFS) participated in National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) today, Thursday, October 8. NDSD is an educational program provided through the national nonprofit, Screening for Mental Health. The initiative raises awareness about depression and helps individuals with the condition find opportunities for assessment and treatment. This year marks the 25th annual National Depression Screening Day.
Thousands of community-based organizations, colleges, and military installations provide the program to the public each year. To help direct members of the community to appropriate care, Bedford Youth and Family Services is providing online screenings at www.bedfordma.gov/youth under the “screenings” section. The screening is free and anonymous, and provides a comfortable and private way for individuals to assess their mental health. While the screening is not diagnostic, it will indicate existing symptoms and if further assessment by a clinician is advisable.
“Screening for mental health should be as routine as screening for blood pressure or other physical health problems,” says BYFS Director Sue Baldauf. “National Depression Screening Day is a chance for anyone to take a free and anonymous self-assessment in the privacy of their own home.” Screening events will be held across the country on October 8. The screening site, www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org provides a full listing of participating organizations.
Symptoms of depression include:Feelings of sadness or emptiness that don’t go away within a few weeks
- Extreme irritability over minor things
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Difficulty concentrating
- Appetite/weight changes
Experts estimate that almost 16 million adults experience depression, which is the No. 1 cause of disability worldwide. Fortunately, depression is a highly treatable illness.
About Bedford Youth and Family Services
A Town Department since 1987, Bedford Youth and Family Services’ mission is to identify and address the social, emotional, and developmental needs of children, youth, adults and families in Bedford through programs and services that support and nurture. Their work is guided by the following values:
- A healthy community requires a safe place for its citizens to be at stressful periods in their lives.
- A strong community values the strengths of all its individual resources and utilizes those in partnership
- Strong social services provides a bridge towards positive change in the lives of all community members
- Empowering the vulnerable with respect and dignity strengthens the community as a whole
- Providing basic resources enhances the health of the body, mind, and spirit
About Screening for Mental Health
Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH), the pioneer of large-scale mental health screening for the public, provides innovative mental health and substance abuse resources, linking those in need with quality treatment options. SMH programs, offered online and in-person, educate, raise awareness, and screen individuals for common mental health disorders and suicide. Thousands of organizations worldwide including hospitals, military installations, colleges, secondary schools, and corporations utilize our educational and screening programs, and in turn, have reached millions of people ranging from teenagers to adults. For more information about Screening for Mental Health, visit https://mentalhealthscreening.org/.
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