October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month and October 2–8 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Did you know that approximately 1 in 5 adults (21.2%) in the District of Columbia report having been told by a health professional that they had a depressive disorder (2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey)? Moreover, nearly 1 in 6 (16.2%) District adults surveyed from July 23 to August 19, 2024 reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression in the last two weeks (U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey 2020-2024).
Young people in the District continue to experience challenges with mental health as well. According to the District’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 1 in 3 (33.8%) District high school students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the twelve months before the survey, up from 1 in 4 (25.5%) students in 2012, with more than 1 in 10 (11.4%) students attempting suicide during the same period. Nearly 1 in 8 (12.6%) of the District’s middle school students also reported they had ever tried to take their own life.
These trends underscore the critical importance of early detection and treatment of depression and co-occurring conditions, such as substance use disorders. Integrated Care DC has online tools and training materials available to help providers integrate behavioral health screening into medical settings, obtain patient consent to share SUD data protected by 42 CFR Part 2 with treating providers through the DC Health Information Exchange (DC HIE) using the CRISP DC consent tool, and implement enhanced referrals to improve care. For local examples of these resources in action, see our Practice Spotlight.
Resources:
- Mobilize Recovery in DC Event: Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Hosted by LIVE.LONG.DC., DC community leadership, and the DC – Recovery Advocacy Project
- Integrated Care DC: Screening and Assessment Resources
- Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF): Transmittal #19-13 – Pediatric Mental Health and Maternal Depression Screening Coverage and Tools
- Child Mental Health Screening Tools and Domain-Specific Screening Tools
- 998 Suicide & Crisis Hotline
- DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH): Where to Get Help