DePauw offers online mental health screening

Putnam County residents are invited to take advantage of free, online mental health screenings, which are being made available in a program that began Monday, Feb. 1.

The DePauw University Wellness Center Counseling Services is offering the free screenings as a way to increase awareness of mental health issues (including depression and mood disorders) and to encourage early intervention.

Made possible by a 12-month grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation, the online screenings (at http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/depauw) will be available through Dec. 31.

Similar to many physical illnesses, early recognition and treatment offers the best opportunity for recovery from mental illness. The anonymous and confidential screening tool is designed to help individuals examine any thoughts or behaviors that may be associated with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

After completing the self-assessment, individuals will be able to access articles and community resources for support.

Those with questions about the screening program may contact Julie d'Argent, director of counseling services at DePauw Wellness, at 658-4268.

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 depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, alcohol use disorders and suicide.

Thousands of organizations worldwide, including hospitals, military installations, colleges, secondary schools and corporations, utilize SMH's 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 www.MentalHealthScreening.org.