Mental Health
Screening for Preschoolers
Minnesota Senate Hearing Today, 4:00
PM
Call Committee Members to Oppose SF 2841
March 9, 2006
Committee members of the Early Childhood Policy and Budget
Division:
EdAction strongly opposes S.F. 2841, and we urge you to make a call or e-mail
to members of the Senate Committee to join us in opposing it. Dr. Effrem
will be testifying against it at the 4:00 hearing today. SF 2841 adds
mental health screening to the early childhood developmental assessments.
Thank the members who agree to oppose SF 2841.
As SF 2841 is written today, it includes written, parental consent. However,
EdAction strongly oppose passing any legislation that establishes the
state as overseer and definer of the mental health of the children of
Minnesota. This is simply not the role of government in our families. In
addition, history is full of objectionable policies being routinely
passed as voluntary measures, then sooner or later that changes or is
bypassed, with parents being effectively sidelined. The Protection of
Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) is one example. It was passed to protect
students and parents from invasive school surveys, but is almost entirely
useless.
Proponents of M/H screening have written that they intend to establish universal
screening of our children. Their 1st recommendation in the
Road Map for Mental Health System Reform in Minnesota for preschool
screening is to "Incorporate socioemotional/mental health screening
into Minnesotaís Early Childhood Screening program." SF 2841 would
accomplish that goal. A further recommendation, #6, incorporates mental
health screening into the Minnesota Early Childhood Comprehensive
Screening. Its purpose is to "integrate early childhood screening
systems to assure that all children ages birth to five are screened early
and continuously for the presence of health, socioemotional or
developmental needs." (p. 165, emphasis added.)
The "road map" is very clear about its destination. The purpose is
stated on page 162:
- Include mental health in childhood screening;
- Conduct mental health screening in all health care settings;
- Incorporate mental health screening in all child care settings;
- Create a model for "intervention" for children. [This
almost always means drugs.}
In other words, mental health screening will be established as part of
developmental screening as a first essential step toward universal mental
health screening for Minnesota children.
Besides M/H screening not being the role of government, it is not at all
scientific in the manner of vision and hearing screening. SF 2841
attempts to establish M/H screening as equally reliable. In fact, data
clearly demonstrates that M/H screening is highly unreliable. M/H
screening in children is very subjective. It is also very dangerous
to our children, because treatment almost always results in prescriptions
for powerful, expensive drugs with dangerous potential side effects,
including suicide. FDA hearings revealed that 10% of boys in K-12 are
currently on medication. This percentage will skyrocket if M/H screening
is instituted as part of preschool screening.
Please actively SF 2841. Thank you very much, and we look forward to seeing you
at the hearing.
For more information, link to these
resources:
Infant
mental health (11/23/05)
Myths and Facts Regarding Mental Health Screening Programs and
Psychiatric Drug Treatment for Children (pdf)
Dangers of Universal
Mental Health Screening, Briefing
Book
EdAction is entirely
user-supported. The continuation of our work is dependent upon individual
contributors. EdAction is a political action committee. Contributions are
not tax deductible. We promote the work of
EdWatch. If you want to ensure that
our work continues, contact us
here. If you want to
subscribe or unsubscribe to this EdAction e-mail service, mail to:
edaction@lakes.com. Put "subscribe" or
"unsubscribe" in the SUBJECT of the message.
![[]](http://www.edaction.org/images/edaction.jpg)