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	Columbia University Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Overview While 90 percent of teens who commit suicide suffer from a treatable mental illness, the vast majority of parents, teachers and other adults are unaware that there is a problem. As a result, 60 to 80 percent of adolescents with depression will go undiagnosed and untreated. Columbia, through its TeenScreen program, had already been partnering with schools and communities across the nation to implement mental health screening programs for youths. It also created Positive Action for Teen Health - a national initiative to provide every teen in America with a voluntary "mental health check-up." Communications Challenge Getting the word out to ensure that parents and other key players (educators, policymakers, the media, etc.) were aware of the Teen Screen program and the importance of mental health screening. Strategy Combining our extensive knowledge in education; results-oriented communications expertise; in-house research, polling and design; and advertising capabilities, Widmeyer Communications devised a comprehensive national public health campaign involving media relations, partnership development, research, public affairs and advertising. Tactics Convened a National Advisory Council to provide third party credibility. Members included former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, former National Education Association President Bob Chase, actress Patty Duke, Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Kandel, A Beautiful Mind author Sylvia Nasar, and Today Show medical reporter Ian Smith. Developed a website - www.TeenScreen.org - to provide important information about teen depression and suicide risk. Conducted a national poll investigating parent's attitudes toward teen mental health issues. Implemented an aggressive media relations effort to publicize the Positive Action for Teen Health initiative and its goals, including separate press launches in New York City and Washington, DC. Established partnerships with national education associations to secure the necessary support from the professional community. Results Nationwide coverage in key outlets including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, AP, Reuters, more than 85 metropolitan newspapers, CNN Headline News, and a number of local TV affiliates in major media markets. In the first four weeks following the media launch, the site recorded more than 300,000 page views - as many in one month as for the entire preceding year. Since the launch, Columbia University has received over 1,000 requests for information on how to start a screening program at the community level. There are currently three bills pending in Congress related to teen mental health issues and six state governments are implementing plans to adopt statewide screening programs.

Columbia University Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Overview

While 90 percent of teens who commit suicide suffer from a treatable mental illness, the vast majority of parents, teachers and other adults are unaware that there is a problem. As a result, 60 to 80 percent of adolescents with depression will go undiagnosed and untreated.
Columbia, through its TeenScreen program, had already been partnering with schools and communities across the nation to implement mental health screening programs for youths. It also created Positive Action for Teen Health - a national initiative to provide every teen in America with a voluntary "mental health check-up."

Communications Challenge

Getting the word out to ensure that parents and other key players (educators, policymakers, the media, etc.) were aware of the Teen Screen program and the importance of mental health screening.

Strategy

Combining our extensive knowledge in education; results-oriented communications expertise; in-house research, polling and design; and advertising capabilities, Widmeyer Communications devised a comprehensive national public health campaign involving media relations, partnership development, research, public affairs and advertising.

Tactics

Convened a National Advisory Council to provide third party credibility. Members included former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, former National Education Association President Bob Chase, actress Patty Duke, Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Kandel, A Beautiful Mind author Sylvia Nasar, and Today Show medical reporter Ian Smith.
Developed a website - www.TeenScreen.org - to provide important information about teen depression and suicide risk.
Conducted a national poll investigating parent's attitudes toward teen mental health issues.
Implemented an aggressive media relations effort to publicize the Positive Action for Teen Health initiative and its goals, including separate press launches in New York City and Washington, DC.
Established partnerships with national education associations to secure the necessary support from the professional community.

Results

Nationwide coverage in key outlets including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, AP, Reuters, more than 85 metropolitan newspapers, CNN Headline News, and a number of local TV affiliates in major media markets.
In the first four weeks following the media launch, the site recorded more than 300,000 page views - as many in one month as for the entire preceding year.
Since the launch, Columbia University has received over 1,000 requests for information on how to start a screening program at the community level.
There are currently three bills pending in Congress related to teen mental health issues and six state governments are implementing plans to adopt statewide screening programs.