Utahns who have a mental health or substance use disorder concern can now access an anonymous self-screening tool online through the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
The new site launched today, Oct. 8, to recognize National Depression Screening Day. Any individual with an internet connection can use the site 24-7 to screen themselves for a variety of mental health and substance use disorders, and then, if needed, have the option of educational resources and referral to a local agency for further evaluation and treatment. Questions take two to three minutes to complete and were developed by experts using evidenced-based assessment tools.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 1 in 4 of all U.S. adults currently struggle with mental illness, and about half will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime. Yet, a large majority of children and adults do not access treatment, or wait to access treatment during a behavioral health crisis.
“In our digital world, individuals often seek out sensitive information online because they are hesitant to talk to someone about their potential need for help,” said Pam Bennett, DSAMH program administrator. “We hope those who believe they are at-risk of a mental health or substance use disorder will access this tool as a credible source to start their path to healing and find local services and resources for treatment.
DSAMH will continue to build the resource referral section and the site will eventually be linked to Local Mental Health Authority sites across the state to connect individuals to resources closest to them.
Individuals can take an online screening by visiting http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/stateofutah. For those needing immediate help, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
