One morning in Cincinnati, a high school student named Stephanie*, arrived at the Levine Family Health Center about a personal health issue which was unrelated to mental health. As Heather, the nurse practitioner, was talking with Stephanie she noticed a phrase that made her feel uneasy.
“I’m just done.”
Heather tactfully asked Stephanie about her mental health, because she was actively engaged with a therapist and was on medication for depression. Stephanie said she was planning something that evening and gave this plan in great detail. Heather explained she is a mandatory reporter and needed to pass this information on to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Stephanie understood and said she felt unsafe, so she was willing to be checked into a care center. After being treated, Stephanie is now back in the community and will be starting school again in the fall.
*name was changed to protect privacy*