Free Depression Screenings Offered

Feeling hopeless, worthless, restless and irritable?

You’re not alone. About 17 million Americans suffer from some form of depression each year, but fewer than half seek help, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

To help spread the word about signs and symptoms of depression, three Valley agencies will offer free depression screenings today in observance of National Depression Screening Day.

Screenings will be offered at: Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, 501 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, 2-3:30 p.m.; Pine Grove Hospital, 7011 Shoup Ave., Canoga Park, 10-11 a.m., 2-3 p.m. and 7-8 p.m.; and the California Family Counseling Center, 5445 Balboa Blvd., Encino, 3-7 p.m.

While depression is common throughout the country, it may be more pronounced in urban areas like Los Angeles, said Ellen Faulk, vice president of the Phillips Graduate Institute, the agency that operates the California Family Counseling Center.

“L.A. has a fairly high level of stressors,” she said. “Things like traffic, pollution, crime and work situations can tax our coping abilities and can lead to depression.”

A standard depression screening questionnaire consisting of 20 questions will be offered at all three sites. Individuals who display symptoms of depression will be referred to other agencies for further testing and treatment, said Faulk. She added that low-cost and no-cost services are available for people without health insurance.

For more information about the screenings, call Providence St. Joseph Medical Center at (818) 840-7967, Pine Grove Hospital at (818) 348-0500, or the California Counseling Center at (818) 907-9980.