Adolescent Wellness, Inc
Frequently asked questions
Bob Anthony - Director
Q) I do not want to do the wrong thing; what if I am not sure how to answer someone?
A) Similar to the advice you give the students, you are not the person to resolve the problem but you should refer the discussion to others. During the Preparation part of implementation, the school answers the questions to develop a referral Resource List. You would refer the discussion to the person indicated in the list.
Q) Who would teach these classes?A) Usually a teacher, counselor or the school nurse. Ideally, at least two people are comfortable presenting the materials so there is no break in the continuity, even if one person leaves the school district.
Q) Why do you talk about preventing depression rather than preventing suicide?
A) It is often difficult to identify when a person has developed suicide ideation; when it is identified, treatment can be slow in providing significant improvement. The primary risk factor for suicide is mood disorder - the various versions of depression: - major,
- minor (dysthymia),
- manic-depression (bipolar) and
- adjustment disorder with depression).
Depression is easier to treat the earlier it is detected and even preventable in many cases. It is the goal of Adolescent Wellness to make known tools and training to build resilience in order to to prevent depression; also, to help kids develop the insight to recognize symptoms of depression and the language to communicate those symptoms to an adult in order to initiate earlier referral for treatment.
Q) Does this curriculum correlate with the various state curriculum standards? Does it match the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for Comprehensive Health?
A) Yes, correlation tables are provided in Preventing Depression: A Toolkit for Schools. The specific correlation is only provided for Massachusetts but your process will be similar. For example, the Curriculum Framework for Comprehensive Health may be viewed at the
Q) Can schools implement without outside/professional assistance?
A) Yes, the manual is designed for implementation without assistance by following the school preparation tasks for referral to outside resources. This does not mean we recommend avoiding professional assistance but rather that starting with existing resources is preferable to deferring implementation to an unknown date.
Q) If additional assistance is desired, are resources available?
A) Additional resources are available including health care providers, community resources, parents, the User Group, and training. For example, joining the User Group provides an online Forum to ask questions of others and to guide those who follow you. If professional implementation assistance is desired, the services available include:Train the Trainer workshop dayConsultation Package
-- Needs assessment
-- Resource assessment
-- Workshops for faculty, students and parents
-- Guidance in developing evaluation materials
-- Follow-up sessionDevelopment and presentation of individually tailored classroom curriculum
-- Includes training of intervention for staff and administration
-- Includes ongoing communication and adaptation of materials to meet student needsGroup presentation
-- to faculty
-- to students-- to parentsPhone Consultation
Q) What is the curriculum philosophy? Is the curriculum evidence based?
A) The curriculum is a universal preventive intervention designed to reduce risks and enhance strengths in school children. It is universal because it applies to all children, not just those who have been identified as needing special help. For an intervention to become evidence based, it takes elapsed time, clinical trials, and money. We specifically directed this practical manual become available to the public as a first priority; the slow and expensive process to make it evidence based is meanwhile occurring in the background.
The contributors to this curriculum program bring their experiences working in a variety of school settings: public and independent, elementary and secondary, regular education and specialized treatment environments. They have worked with adolescents from a wide variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures, who have brought great strengths to bear upon the serious demands placed upon them by their age/time of life, family circumstances, future hopes and dreams, and peer networks. Consulting with school administrators and staff, they have learned a great deal about the stresses and strains of meeting adolescents where they are and engaging them academically in a meaningful way. The information shared is a culmination of these professional and personal experiences working in the greater Boston metropolitan area, which is itself an urban and suburban environment with a particular mix of styles, attitudes and behaviors resulting from a diverse conglomeration of peoples gathered in this region. This is the background that they bring to these materials and toward realizing the goals for your school.
Q) Are clinical trials / prevention research projects underway?
A) Yes, in addition to the ongoing depression prevention research at Children's Hospital Boston and at McLean Hospital, here are current Federally funded projects that may be viewed on the web -
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00258752 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00183417 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00183482 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00183365 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00149812
Q) Regarding McPap, the Massachusetts Child Psychiatrist Access Program, which phone number should be called by a pediatrician to register?
A) Based on the town in which the pediatrician is located, the telephone number to call is: Abington (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Acton (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Acushnet (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Adams (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Agawam (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Alford (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Amesbury (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Amherst (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Andover (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Arlington (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Ashburnham (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Ashby (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Ashfield (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Ashland (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Athol (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Attleboro (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Auburn (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Avon (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Ayer (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Baldwinville (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Barnstable (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Barre (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Beckett (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Bedford (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Belchertown (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Bellingham (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Belmont (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Berkley (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Berlin (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Bernardston (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Beverly (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Billerica (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Blackstone (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Blandford (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Bolton (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Bondville (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Boston (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Bourne (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Boxborough (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Boxford (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Boylston (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Braintree (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Brewster (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Bridgewater (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Brimfield (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Brockton (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Brookfield (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Brookline (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Buckland (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Burlington (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Cambridge (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Canton (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Carlisle (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Carver (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Charlemont (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Charlton (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Chatham (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Chelmsford (888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region Chelsea (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region Cheshire (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Chester (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Chesterfield (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Chicopee (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Chilmark (508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region Clarksburg (413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region Clinton (508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region Cohasset (617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region
Abington
(508) 894-8484 (McLean-Brockton); Southeast region
Acton
(617) 636-5723 (Children's Hospital Boston & NE Medical Center) and (617) 724-8282 (Mass. General); Boston Metro region
Acushnet
Adams
(413) 794-3342 (Baystate Medical Center); Western region
Agawam
Alford
Amesbury
(888) 627-2767 (North Shore Medical Center); Northeast region
Amherst
Andover
Arlington
Ashburnham
(508) 334-3240 (U Mass. Medical Center); Central region
Ashby
Ashfield
Ashland
Athol
Attleboro
Auburn
Avon
Ayer
Baldwinville
Barnstable
Barre
Beckett
Bedford
Belchertown
Bellingham
Belmont
Berkley
Berlin
Bernardston
Beverly
Billerica
Blackstone
Blandford
Bolton
Bondville
Boston
Bourne
Boxborough
Boxford
Boylston
Braintree
Brewster
Bridgewater
Brimfield
Brockton
Brookfield
Brookline
Buckland
Burlington
Cambridge
Canton
Carlisle
Carver
Charlemont
Charlton
Chatham
Chelmsford
Chelsea
Cheshire
Chester
Chesterfield
Chicopee
Chilmark
Clarksburg
Clinton
Cohasset
