All Utahns have fair and equitable opportunities to be healthy and safe and 2 more... less...

All Utahns have equitable access to timely, evidence based, and cost-effective healthcare services and supports that meet individual needs, are integrated, and outcome driven.

Children, adults, families and communities experience improved health and social functioning, and a reduction in harms associated with substance use and mental health challenges

Percent of Utah children (6, 8, 10, and 12th grades) with high mental health treatment needs

Current Value

25.0%

2023

Definition

Needs Mental Health Treatment was estimated using the K6 Scale that was developed with support from the National Center for Health Statistics for use in the National Health Interview Survey. The tool screens for psychological distress by asking students During the past 30 days, how often did you: a) feel nervous? b) feel hopeless? c) feel restless or fidgety? d) feel so depressed that nothing could cheer you up? e) feel that everything was an effort? f) feel worthless? Answers to each were scored based on responses: None of the time (0 points), A little of the time (1 point), Some of the time (2 points), Most of the time (3 points), All of the time (4 points). Students with a total score of 13 or more points were determined to have high mental health treatment needs. Students with moderate (scoring 7-12 points) and low (scoring 0-6 points) mental health treatment needs. https://dsamh-training.utah.gov/_documents/SHARPreports/2021/StateofUtahProfileReport.pdf

<p>Needs Mental Health Treatment was estimated using the K6 Scale that was developed with support from the National Center for Health Statistics for use in the National Health Interview Survey. The tool screens for psychological distress by asking students During the past 30 days, how often did you: a) feel nervous? b) feel hopeless? c) feel restless or fidgety? d) feel so depressed that nothing could cheer you up? e) feel that everything was an effort? f) feel worthless? Answers to each were scored based on responses: None of the time (0 points), A little of the time (1 point), Some of the time (2 points), Most of the time (3 points), All of the time (4 points). Students with a total score of 13 or more points were determined to have high mental health treatment needs. Students with moderate (scoring 7-12 points) and low (scoring 0-6 points) mental health treatment needs. <a href="https://dsamh-training.utah.gov/_documents/SHARPreports/2021/StateofUtahProfileReport.pdf" target="_blank">https://dsamh-training.utah.gov/_documents/SHARPreports/2021/StateofUtahProfileReport.pdf</a></p>

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Measure Definition

This measure shows the percentage of Utah children (in 6, 8, 10, and 12th grades) who indicated high need for mental health treatment during the past 30 days.

Six questions make up this scale."During the past 30 days, how often did you: a) feel nervous? b) feel hopeless? c) feel restless or fidgety? d) feel so depressed that nothing could cheer you up? e) feel that everything was an effort? f) feel worthless?" None of the time (0), a little of the time (1), some of the time (2), most of the time (3), all of the time (4). Children are considered to have low mental health treatment needs if their total score falls between 0 and 6 point, medium mental health treatment needs if their total falls between 7 and 12, and high mental health treatment needs if their total falls between 13 and 24.

Source: SHARP survey https://dsamh-training.utah.gov/_documents/SHARPreports/2021/StateofUtahProfileReport.pdf

Story Behind the Curve

The percentage of Utah youth who have high need for mental health treatment was stable from 2021 to 2023.

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