Wake Teen focuses on prevention through screening and early intervention. Each patient at Wake Teen is examined by our pediatrician or family nurse practitioner, receives physical examinations, and discusses a variety of subjects based on the H.E.A.D.S.S. (home, environment, alcohol, drugs, safety/sex/suicide) assessment. Base line information of behavioral and environmental risks that might be impacting the teen’s well being as well as other health concerns that were identified during the physical exam serve as the basis for referrals to internal programs; such as mental health services. Wake Teen offers comprehensive mental health services consisting of individual and family therapy, psychiatric evaluations, and medication management. Mental health concerns may range from simple concerns (anxiety) to moderate concerns (peer problems) to more complex and persistent mental illness (bipolar disorder, conduct disorder). All of Wake Teen’s services may be provided at a reduced fee for uninsured youth and are available in our clinic location and or through our school-linking program available to all high-school students in Wake County. Wake Teen is also a training site for UNC-Chapel Hill Psychiatric Fellows in support of Wake Teen’s mission to provide education and information to those who work with adolescents to detect the signs and symptoms of depression and other mental illness so interventions can be started at the earliest possible time. One on one confidential interview with the clinicians and teen provide staff an opportunity to evaluate risk taking behaviors including: eating habits, gun safety, domestic violence, thoughts of suicide, peer and parent relationships, etc. This comprehensive interview which usually takes 60 minutes or more, may result in a referral to Wake Teen’s on site mental health counselor who can make usually make a short “get to know you visit” the same day