Screening and Health Guidance for Suicide and Depression

The Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) approach is a model that uses a systematic strategy for screening and health guidance by primary care physicians This approach is designed to identify whether an adolescent engages in or is at risk for suicide and/or depression. More information on the development of GAPS as a framework for the organization and content of clinical preventive services is available.

View GAPS information below designed to identify those adolescents at risk for adverse consequences related to suicide and depression:

(Please note that a listing here does not indicate endorsement by the AMA.)

Gather Information

Gather information and ask questions

Other screening tools:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (information on trends and prevalence of adolescent suicide and depression)

Adolescent suicide, depression, and mental health reading list

Assess Further

Assess further and ask follow up questions

Problem Identification

Problem identification

Mild depression
Moderate to severe depression
High risk for suicide

Solutions

Supportive counseling
Refer for psychiatric evaluation
Immediate hospitalization and psychiatric evaluation

Note: The GAPS information provided above was adapted from Levenberg PB, Elster AB. Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) Clinical Evaluation and Management Handbook. 1996. Chicago: American Medical Association.