The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Spinal Screening Program was established by the Texas Legislature to detect abnormal spinal curvature in students. The program is required to adopt rules as mandated by the statute. 

School-based spinal screening helps to identify adolescents with abnormal spinal curves and refer them for appropriate follow-up with their doctor. Screening can detect scoliosis at an early stage when the curve is mild and may go unnoticed. Early detection is key to controlling spinal deformities. 

Training and Materials

For information regarding spinal screener training in your area, call the school health specialist at the nearest Regional Education Service Center or email the Spinal Screening Program at vhssprogram@dshs.texas.gov.

To order training workshop materials, you must be a certified trainer and use the DSHS Spinal Screening Materials Request Form [DOC 22KB]. Please allow at least two weeks for materials to be delivered.

The Spinal Screening Manual is the teaching manual for DSHS-approved spinal screening certification workshops. It has been updated to reflect the changes effective in the 2018-2019 school year. 

School districts, private school systems, and charter schools use Form M-51 to report cumulative totals of the spinal screenings conducted at each campus. 

• Spinal Screening Report – Form M-51 (PDF, updated September 2018)