In-School Programs
Outreach provides counselors on-site at schools to serve the students who are having behavioral or emotional problems which disrupt the educational process for themselves and others in the classroom. Currently, Outreach has counselors in Bidwell Training Center and Chartiers Houston School District.
TeenScreen
What is TeenScreen?
The TeenScreen Program is a tool created by Columbia University to screen for risk factors associated with depression and other mental illnesses but does not make a formal diagnosis. Parents of youth found to be at possible risk are notified and assisted in identifying and connecting to local mental health services.
Through a recent agreement with Columbia University, Stanford’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has been given access and shared rights to the screening tool and other components of the Columbia TeenScreen program. Read more about Stanford’s Community partnerships here: Stanford Dept. of Psychiatry
Outreach Teen & Family Services is the only provider in Pennsylvania to hold a license for providing this program to our schools and community.
Why use TeenScreen?
- About 11% of teens have a depressive disorder by age 18.
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-19 year olds and outnumbers those from all other physical diseases combined.
- Anxiety disorders affect one in eight children. If untreated, children with anxiety are at a higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and engage in substance abuse (www.adaa.org).
How does it work?
TeenScreen is a voluntary program and parental and teen consent are always obtained before a screening begins. The screening is a 10-15 minute computerized, self-administered questionnaire that screens for major depression, suicidality, alcohol and drug abuse, panic disorder, social phobia, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Once the screen is complete, the teen will speak briefly with a Master’s degree level Outreach counselor to review their responses. If the screen, or the youth, indicates additional counseling may be necessary or helpful, the counselor will contact the parents and provide them with appropriate referrals for services.
The teen’s safety is always a priority and confidentiality is safeguarded.
Participants’ Reactions to the Screening:
“I think it is very helpful and important. I know from experience that many kids, including my friends, deal with depression, anxiety, OCD, and drug problems but are never given a real evaluation and live with these problems as though they are normal.”
“It was interesting in the variety of questions they had asked me. I felt comfortable when taking this screening and think that it serves as a good self-evaluation.”
“It was a good way to evaluate myself, I haven’t really had the time to sit down and think about myself really.”
Substance Use & Abuse Evaluations
Questions to Consider:
- Has your drinking or drug use caused problems at school, work or home?
- Has your drinking or drug use resulted in legal issues?
Outreach Teen and Family Services offers a substance abuse evaluation (drugs and alcohol) for teens and adults. This confidential and evidence based evaluation may be completed in one session at either our Mt. Lebanon and downtown Pittsburgh office.Experienced, masters-level therapist administer the evaluation tool and provide treatment recommendations.
Fee: $75
Advanced registration is required.
Call 412-561-5405, or email at info@outreachteen.org.
No referral is required.
Choices – Drug & Alcohol Education Program for Teens
For any young person in need of education on how to deal with the pressures of alcohol/other drug use so they can make better decisions.
Outreach’s Choices program is designed as an opportunity to help families find answers. Our aim is to reduce substance abuse among adolescents by supporting families and educating teens.
The Choices program does not assume that every teen entering it has firmly set upon the road to addiction. The goals of this educational program are to help prevent re-occurrence of the previous behavior, helping teens make better decisions in the future.
If the teen was referred by a judge, Outreach will inform the magistrate of enrollment, successful completion and other relevant information.
Schedule for Teens
Teens sessions are the third Saturday of every month,
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Registration is mandatory – no walk-ins.
Schedule for Parents
A separate parent session is held on the same Saturday as the teen session,
Noon—1:00 p.m.
Attendance by one or both parents is highly recommended.
Fee
$175 is due before the first class.
Registration
(412) 561-5405 or info@outreachteen.org
You can also register in person at the Outreach office:
666 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Office hours: M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Class size is limited.
Participants’ Quotes:
“I learned about what the long-term effects of drugs and alcohol, rather than the short-term, “in the moment” effects that’ll make me reconsider drinking/doing drugs.”
“I learned how dangerous and serious even small amounts of drugs/alcohol are. All of the consequences aren’t worth it.”
“We reviewed various types of harmful drugs. It has made me realize that I have to think twice before I decide to do something that can be potentially harmful to me. At first I was dreading the class but it was actually kind of fun.”
Parents’ Quotes:
“The facilitator was very conscientious and knowledgeable and was of great help in understanding the dangers of underage drinking.”
“I would love to see [this program] as a mandatory high school requirement.”
“The instructor was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. The kids in this class are getting a good education!”