Understanding your child's mental health is a powerful step toward their success! The Murray School District invites students in grades 3 through 12 to participate in a voluntary mental health screening on Wednesday, November 5th.

Mental health screenings are designed to highlight your student’s mental health strengths while also screening for early signs of common internalizing challenges like anxiety, depression, and safety concerns. This proactive approach helps us connect students with the right support, resources, and interventions as early as possible.

Screening Details at a Glance

Date:	Wednesday, November 5th
Where:	Hillcrest Junior High
Grades:	3–12
Languages:	English
Important:	Parent consent is mandatory.
Remember to Bring:	Student's Chromebook and Parent/Guardian Photo ID

 

A note on timing: To make sure you have enough time to discuss the results with a mental health professional, please arrive at your appointment start time. Every family will walk away with helpful information on school and community resources.

Please contact Sierra Marsh, MCSD Prevention Coordinator, with any questions at smarsh@murrayschools.org or 801-264-7400.

 

Why Screenings Are Essential: Evidence-Based Facts

Timely mental health screening is a critical component of a comprehensive school support system that improves student well-being and academic outcomes:

• Mental Health Concerns are Widespread and Underserved: Approximately one in five students will experience a significant mental health problem during their school years, yet an estimated 70% of those who need treatment will not receive appropriate mental health services (Perou, et al., 2013). Universal screening helps to close this gap by proactively identifying students who might otherwise be overlooked.

• Early Identification Leads to Better Outcomes: When students with mental health symptoms are identified through universal school screening and provided with intervention, research shows a significant positive impact. For instance, some programs have demonstrated that 42% of youth reported improvement in depressive symptoms and 40% reported improvement in anxiety symptoms following identification and intervention (ADAM Institute, 2025). Early intervention prevents issues from escalating and often leads to less intensive, more effective treatment.

 

Citations

ADAM Institute. (2025). The Unparalleled Impact of Schoolwide Screening in K12 on Reducing Youth Risk—and How You Can Help. Possibilities for Change.

Perou, R., Bitsko, R. H., Blumberg, S. J., Pastor, P., Ghandour, R. M., Visser, S. N., ... & Danielson, M. (2013). Mental health surveillance among children—United States, 2005–2011. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 62(2), 1–35.