Over 14 years ago, after a series of devastating suicides in Nevada County youth, a group of concerned families and providers in Nevada County began discussing how we could come together and embrace a suicide prevention program that would provide universal, free and confidential emotional health screenings to our teens. Columbia University's TeenScreen program fit the bill for our community. TeenScreen has since changed hands and is now administered as Youth Check by Stanford University.

This program was brought into creation by What’s Up Wellness, with the support of the Suicide Prevention Task Force, in the fall of 2012. Funded by Mental Health Services Act, What’s Up Wellness found immediate support in both NJUHSD and TTUSD. Our team began with just 3 folks, and now consists of LMFTs, MSWs, and peers .

NJUHSD: Each spring, all 8th grade students receive a consent form in their 9th grade NJUHSD enrollment packets for students to be screened in the following school year.

TTUSD: Incoming 9th graders will receive a consent for screening in the mail for students to be screened in the following school year.

Forest Charter: Teachers will provide consents to parents/guardians during their teacher meetings.

Bitney Prep: Consents are in enrollment packets for all students in the fall.

What’s Up? Wellness Checkup starts with a one-time meeting that can take between 15 to 45 minutes. This includes a computerized questionnaire and a follow-up interview with What’s Up? staff to provide support, and if needed, referrals for further help.

For those students whose screen indicates the need for further support, What’s Up? staff will notify parents and work to help families identify services that will best meet their teens needs and provides time limited casemanagement services to ensure a successful treatment connection. What's Up? also offers in-school groups as an added resource for students to access.

Parent/guardian consent forms are required for screening, and should be received by families via their school counselor, or in on-line enrollment packets with downloadable versions available here. Incoming 9th graders families in NJUHSD should receive a consent form in their enrollment packets in the Spring, with screening to begin in the fall. TTUSD 9th grade families will be receiving their consents this fall. We encourage students to return consents to the front desk or their school counselor if they have not been mailed to their school or district office. We accept consents throughout the semester.