Depression affects approximately one in 10 adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thursday is National Depression Screening Day and, in support, several U-M programs will offer free, in-person, one-on-one mental health screenings for depression.
In-person depression screenings with a trained mental health professional will be conducted at the following locations:
• U-M Psychological Clinic, 530 Church St., Suite 2463, noon- 6 p.m. (open to the public, no university affiliation needed).
• U-M Depression Center (in partnership with the College of Engineering, the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Rackham Graduate School), Duderstadt Center connector on North Campus, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
• U-M Health System Employee Assistance Program (UMHS EAP), D2101 Medical Professional Building, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• U-M Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (U-M FASAP), 1009 Greene St., 2076 Administrative Services Building, 1-4 p.m. (employees and immediate family members only).
Free screenings are a good way for people to find out if depression might be the cause of feelings they have been experiencing, including prolonged sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of pleasure in activities, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness and even physical pain. Feedback provided after a screening is informational, not diagnostic.
Based on screening results, mental health professionals may recommend a more comprehensive evaluation.
For those who cannot attend an in-person screening, online mental health screenings also are available for depression and other common mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol misuse, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. The following online screenings are available:
• For faculty and staff, MHealthy offers confidential, anonymous online mental health screenings at www.mhealthy.umich.edu/understandingu/screen. Participants will receive an immediate result at the end of each screening that can be printed and taken to a counselor for further evaluation if necessary.
• For students, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a 24/7 online screening tool at www.mitalk.umich.edu/identify-a-problem.
Short-term counseling for university students, faculty and staff always is available:
• Ann Arbor and Flint campus employees can contact U-M FASAP at 734-936-8660 or [email protected].
• Dearborn campus employees can call 313-593-5430.
• UMHS employees can contact UMHS EAP at 734 763-5409 or [email protected].
• Students can contact CAPS at 734-764-8312 or go to www.caps.umich.edu for more information.
Additionally, the Psychological Clinic is a U-M agency offering outpatient mental health services for adults and couples 18 and over. University affiliation is not required to receive services. The Psychological Clinic is a fee for service clinic and accepts insurances and offers sliding scale fees. For more information, call 734-764-3471 or go to www.psychclinic.org.
The complete listing of depression screening events on campus also is provided online at mhealthy.umich.edu/screenings.
