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Why it matters

Mental health screening tools support early identification, risk stratification, and ongoing symptom tracking across primary care, behavioral health, emergency settings, and community programs. However, instrument details are often scattered across manuals, guideline appendices, and paywalled publications, making it hard to compare tools or apply them consistently. A curated core list creates a foundational layer for the health graph, linking conditions and symptoms to validated instruments, recommended settings, and follow up actions.

What to publish

  • Name

  • Description: clear and plain language explanation of what the instrument screens for and its primary purpose

  • Topic: depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, bipolar, psychosis, ADHD, eating disorders, sleep, suicidality, general distress, youth screening

  • Use: screening, severity rating, monitoring over time, triage and referral, population health measurement

Scope

Top 20 instruments prioritized by clinical prevalence, workflow importance, cross setting usage, and validation evidence including:

  • Depression and general distress (PHQ 9, PHQ 2, K 6)

  • Anxiety (GAD 7)

  • PTSD (PCL 5, PC PTSD 5)

  • Substance use (AUDIT C, DAST 10, ASSIST)

  • Bipolar screening (MDQ)

  • Psychosis risk screening (PQ B)

  • ADHD screening (ASRS)

  • Eating disorder screening (SCOFF)

  • Sleep and insomnia screening (ISI)

  • Suicide risk screening (C SSRS, ASQ)

Potential sources

  • American Psychiatric Association (APA) practice resources

  • U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) resources

  • SAMHSA screening and assessment guidance

  • CDC mental health resources

  • Instrument developer manuals and scoring guides

  • Peer reviewed validation studies and systematic reviews

  • MedlinePlus summaries for mental health conditions

  • NIH summaries for mental health conditions