Health Department Gets MySpace Presence

New York City teenagers browsing MySpace may find a new "friend" on the social networking Web site: the city's health department.

Tapping into the popularity of social networking sites, the agency launched an online campaign yesterday targeting teenagers experiencing depression, drug problems, or dating violence. Through the campaign, called NYC Teen Mindspace, teenagers can access fact sheets or send confidential messages to mental counselors from the Mental Health Association of New York City. The agency's MySpace page also features three fictional personalities — "Kyle," "Nicole," and "Stephanie" — characters meant to represent teenagers dealing with depression, drug use, and other problems.

"By reaching out to young people where they socialize, in a style they can relate to, we make it easier for them to talk and seek help," the deputy commissioner for mental hygiene, Dr. David Rosin, said in a statement.