November 2003

What is the MAYSI 2 screening instrument and how is it used?

The MAYSI 2 is a standardized, 52-item, pencil-and-paper or computer-administered screening tool that measures the student's mental health status at one of the points of entry in the juvenile justice system. The student's self-report gives staff timely information that they might not otherwise have. Currently, the MAYSI 2 is being used in more than 200 juvenile detention and corrections facilities in more than 30 states. Dissemination of the tool is currently funded through a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation. This grant assists systems in making better use of their scarce mental/ behavioral health dollars at a time of steadily rising demand.

The MAYSI-2 provides information that alerts staff to potential problems in seven domains: Alcohol/Drug use; Angry/irritable; Depressed-Anxious; Somatic Complaints; Suicide Ideation; Thought Disturbance; and Traumatic Experiences. Early research in California, Massachusetts, and Washington contributed significantly to the testing refinements needed to make this a very reliable tool that can easily be used in the field. One of the greatest benefits is that the MAYSI-2 can be administered by non-clinicians, such as probation officers or correctional officers. The score from the screening is reported to the clinical staff, who decide whether a youth needs to be interviewed by a clinician. The clinician interviewing a child in the "warning range" or at the "caution cut-off" determines whether further intervention is needed.

Remember, the MAYSI-2 is NOT a diagnostic instrument. Juvenile detention and corrections agencies and programs use the tool as a screening or "triage" tool to help them identify youth who may need immediate mental/behavioral health interviews or intervention.