It will be interesting to see what happens when Ryan goes for a physical next year. Will the pediatrician devote time to a screening form to document psychiatric symptoms? Will that divert time and attention away from concerns that might be more important to Ryan or his parents? Will he be handed an iPad in the waiting room or emailed a link to a portal before the session so that he can fill out the form on his own? If so, will the doctor remember to check the assessment tool and address mental health concerns that Ryan identifies? It may well prove to be a mixed bag, but let’s hope that universal screening tools open the door for more young people to have their mental health concerns addressed in comprehensive and appropriate ways.
Dr. Miller is the coauthor of “Committed: The Battle Over Involuntary Psychiatric Care,” (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016).
