Troubled Teens Resources

Teen crisis intervention programs often emerge from communities that have suffered a tragic loss or have been threatened by irrational teen behavior. Such as a recent threat by two obviously troubled teens to kill their fellow students at Connetquot High School.

“The news of two teens suspected of plotting a “massive attack” at Connetquot High School, with the intention of killing scores of innocent students and teachers, is chilling.

Parents, students and school officials understandably want to know if and how such tragedies can be prevented. In this instance, officials say potential disaster was averted when a diary belonging to one of the teens was found. This was a stroke of luck. None of us, however, wants our future safety to depend upon such serendipity.”

But should future safety depend on a state sponsored psychological evaluation of your children? What Pandora’s box is opened by allowing the state to intrude so far into a family’s life that their conclusions might dictate your teen’s future? Does this really constitute teen help or a violation of privacy?

“Now a radical opportunity to identify and help at-risk youth is being introduced by the state Office of Mental Health. Working with a $33-million legislative allocation, the office is embracing a public health approach. Its goal is to provide a free voluntary psychological checkup for 400,000 children in the state, under a program called Child and Family Clinic-Plus. This program will begin to be implemented this fall by five nonprofit mental health clinics in Suffolk County and two in Nassau.

The parents of ninth, 10th and 11th graders in participating schools will decide if their children should take a standardized screening test. Those students whose scores on the test indicate that they may be at risk will be eligible for three free comprehensive assessments and nine free sessions of therapy at home.”

(Source)

It seems that in recent years Americans must often decide between safety and freedom. These suggested tests are voluntary now, but will their use lead the way to mandatory testing? Will parents have the right to refute the conclusions of such tests? These are some of the many issues that parents face.

As mentioned before, debate is hot and heavy over a school’s random use of drug testing. It is proving difficult for parents to weigh the benefits that may accrue from random drug testing against the violation of privacy and civil rights that it represents. Some schools have intensified their well intended intrusions by indirectly affecting how a student spends their week-ends by randomly testing on a Monday morning.

The New York Times printed an number of responses from parents to the question “Is This The Answer to Drug Use?”

Parents Respond to Random Drug Testing

Though parents seem to lean more towards allowing the testing to go on, most do so very reluctantly , torn between ending the plaque of teenage drug abuse and protecting this countrys’ citizens basic rights to privacy.

“Let me start by saying that I personally have a deep respect for the privacy rights afforded to us in the U.S. Constitution but, at the same time I am a strong proponent for random drug testing.”

and

“I’m responding to the question about student random drug testing. Let me start by saying that I personally have a deep respect for the privacy rights afforded to us in the U.S. Constitution but, at the same time I am a strong proponent for random drug testing.”

Privacy Rights vrs Drug Intervention

Some parents and experts are dead set against it.

“…drug testing typically requires the inappropriate release of confidential medical information to administrators, as some drugs that are legitimately prescribed for students may produce false positive results in urine drug screening.”

and

“Random drug testing is going to backlash and prove to do more damage than good. What kind of a message is this to give to our children? We have rapidly become a country of control. How embarrassing for these teens to be pulled out of class to go pee in a cup. They go to school to learn, not to be accused! We adults should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this to happen.”

and

“My opinion is that it’s an abomination… It was unbelievable to me that this would be implemented. It is straight out of Orwell.”

All quotes from the NYT.