After discovering that young people may need mental health screenings as much as physical ones while conducting a short mental health assessment at a school, last year, pediatrician and Ajuda co-founder Dr Liza Street developed a mental health screening tool, specifically for teenagers. Street now plans to make it widely available in schools across the country.
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“Teens need access to mental health screenings just as much as physical ones because early detection and support can change the trajectory of a young person’s life,” says Street.
“It’s not only about identifying those at risk; it is also about building a culture where mental well-being is recognised as part of overall health.”
Mental healthcare in teens
Teens are almost expected to be moody, volatile, and uncommunicative with their parents. The danger is that expectation can make it harder for parents to identify when their teens are struggling with their mental health.
And according to 2021 data from Unicef, 32% of South African teens show symptoms of anxiety or depression.
At a general health screening event for school children organised by a community tutoring centre in Gauteng, last year, Ajuda gave older children the opportunity to do a short mental health assessment.
“We uncovered a significant mental health gap,” says Street. “It was deeply eye-opening and revealed just how serious the mental health crisis was among this group of adolescents.”
Thanks to early detection, the affected students received timely intervention, and the tutoring centre has since implemented a comprehensive mental health programme for both children and adults.
Anonymous mental health screenings
A number of schools have already come on board with the mental health screening tool. “The screening is completely anonymous – although learners have the option to fill in their names to seek help if they choose to,” says Street.
How it works
- User-friendly: It’s a written assessment that has been carefully designed to be engaging and non-intimidating. “It’s thoughtfully designed, not just black ink on white paper, like a traditional test, and it folds up like origami at the end,” says Street.
- Expert independent scoring: Completed assessments go to the Ajuda office to be clinically scored by Ajuda’s team. “We then provide the school with an executive summary,” explains Street. “This outlines what’s happening across different grades – for example, toxic social media use in the grade eight group, or heightened anxiety among the grade nines. It allows the school to implement targeted interventions at a group level, without singling out individual learners.”
- Pathway to help: For learners who are struggling and don’t know how to ask for help, this assessment can be a lifeline. “If a learner provides their name and their responses suggest they may be at risk, they are sensitively identified and prioritised for timely, supportive follow-up,” says Street.
In addition, Ajuda offers a free, anonymous helpline that learners can call to receive counselling and support.
“Should a learner prefer to remain anonymous, they can access help through this helpline. Either way, support is there when they need it,” she adds.
Mental health 'first aid'
Street is especially excited about how early screening can shape a child’s mental health into adulthood.
“Adolescence is a period of significant brain development; it’s a phase where structural rewiring is still possible. If a teenager begins to experience depression and doesn’t get help, they're probably going to become a depressed adult,” she explains.
“Early intervention during the adolescent period provides a unique opportunity to shift the trajectory of their life and prevent long-term mental health challenges.”
Another perk of destigmatising mental health conversations in schools is that it creates an environment where children can be trained to help each other.
Allan Sweidan, founder of the Akeso Hospital Group, co-founder of October Health and Ajuda chairperson, adds: “For example, what happens if your friend tells you they’re suicidal? What must you do? How do you encourage them to seek help?
"There’s a big movement around youth mental health first aid and empowering teachers, parents and children with the knowledge of what to do if someone discloses their mental health condition to you.”
While mental health is receiving a lot more attention nowadays than it did in the past, it’s still a taboo topic in many families. Introducing mainstream screening in schools is a powerful step towards addressing this stigma and ensuring children receive the support they need early.
“If there is something we can identify now to help a young person grow into a healthier adult, we should absolutely do it,” concludes Street.
