Detecting a problem early is the best bet in preventing it from getting out of hand. Such is the logic of Screening for Mental Health (SMH), which hosts an annual screening day to detect eating disorders, drinking problems and depression in America's college students at campuses nationwide.

In 1996, the NCAA partnered with SMH to encourage member schools to participate in SMH's eating disorders screening program. The NCAA went on to officially sponsor the eating disorders program in 1998, as well as the first National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) held in April 1999.

This year's NASD will be held April 6 in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.

NASD aims to help students with early detection of high-risk drinking behaviors on college campuses. It promotes awareness, identification, and treatment of student alcohol problems while helping to debunk campus and community norms that encourage "binge" and other types of problem drinking.

Schools registering for NASD coordinate the screening with their respective health or counseling centers. SMH provides the necessary evaluation and education materials for the counselors who conduct the screening and for them to distribute to the students. Student-athletes also are encouraged to distribute the program posters and fliers created by SMH for the event, and to spread the word to fellow students.

Much of the research conducted on binge drinking (for example, consuming five or more drinks in a sitting) shows that college students who value sports are more likely to binge drink. And student-athletes, who often are known and admired by other students, can influence campus norms about drinking.

"The partnership between the NCAA and SMH was a logical one," said Mary Wilfert, NCAA program coordinator in health and safety.

NASD program coordinator Anne Keliher said, "By working with the NCAA, we reach those students who are more likely to need help dealing with hot topics such as alcohol use and the complex relationship between eating, exercise and body image."

The proof of the partnership's success is in the numbers. NASD debuted at 499 college campuses in 1999 and was considered a huge success. A total of 23,477 students participated and 13,802 were screened. According to SMH statistics based on results of the college students who were screened, 46 percent had scores indicative of some level of alcohol problems, and 23 percent of those had scores indicative of harmful or hazardous drinking.

Perhaps the most encouraging statistic gathered after the event was that 56 percent of all participants indicated that they had either stopped drinking completely or had cut back as a result of the program.

The fact that this year's NASD is on the same day as National Student-Athlete Day is a coincidence, but the shared date presents a unique opportunity for the SMH and the NCAA to emphasize the importance of student-athletes' participation in the screening. "Participation in our programs empowers these student-athletes to use their newfound knowledge and understanding to steer campus norms toward healthy attitudes and beliefs and away from risky behaviors such as binge drinking," said Keliher.

Both SMH and the NCAA have hopes the event will reach more people this year and have even more promising results. Wilfert said, "Coaches, administrators and student-athlete groups alike have identified alcohol-abuse prevention as a high priority for college athletics. The NASD is one more piece of a comprehensive approach that can better serve our student-athletes for lifelong health and success."

Schools have through the end of March to register for NASD. Administrators interested in having their school participate or interested in finding the nearest screening site may call 781/239-0071 for more information.