The Pros And Cons Of Mental Health Screening

There has been much debate whether or not mental health screening is an unwarranted intrusion. A mental health screening helps identify those who need an early intervention in order to prevent the development of debilitating mental illness. Some agree that yes, a mental health screening is an unwarranted intrusion because it can lead to inappropriate labeling and intrude on basic freedoms. Others would disagree and say that a mental health screening is not an unwarranted intrusion. Under the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC) schools notify the parents or guardian of the student when a screening is to be done (Stone, 2016). It is also a valuable opportunity to deliver services that can make a life difference. It is important that
children are identified at the preschool age with symptoms of a certain disorder because problems at the preschool age do not go away but persist and become more serious in later grades unless action is taken early to help stop it from increasing (Kirk, Gallagher, & Coleman, 2015). After viewing both sides of this argument I believe that mental health screening is not an unwarranted intrusion. I believe that if teachers and schools have the resources and time to screen children at an early age then it should be done. It is better to start early to fix a problem then have it persist and become worse as the student ages. Although mislabeling can happen students can be declassified and may even do better throughout school from having any extra help or resources from an early age.