Inaugural Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Summit
Mental Health America invites consumers, affiliates and other advocates, researchers, policymakers, health educators and others to the Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit, a two-day meeting-of-the-minds event being held on June 6 and 7 during Mental Health America's 2008 Conference, "No Health Without Mental Health," in Washington, DC.
What is the Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit?
The United States has the highest prevalence rates (26 percent) of mental illnesses, according to a comparison of 14 developing and developed countries (JAMA, 2004). Although approximately 80 percent of all Americans who have a mental health disorder eventually receive some form of treatment, the median delay across all disorders is nearly a decade and less than one-third of people who seek help receive minimally adequate care (NCS-R, 2005). People with serious mental illnesses served in the public system are dying 25 years early, on average, from a full range of preventable health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. (NASMHPD, 2006). Each year, roughly 30,000 Americans take their lives, while hundreds of thousands make suicide attempts (CDC, 2007).
This inaugural Summit will be a unique opportunity for people and organizations that are committed to advancing a prevention and promotion agenda to drive down the tragically high rates and profound impact of mental illnesses in the United States. The goals of the Summit are threefold:
- Articulate the current state of the science in mental health promotion and prevention.
- Share successes and challenges in the implementation of research-based programs and interventions.
- Connect researchers and state and local advocates to build a movement for the advancement of promotion and prevention in public awareness, practice and policy.
The Summit is timed to prepare the behavioral health field and allied individuals for the anticipated release of the Institute of Medicine's report "Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions."
The Summit will feature talks by renowned national and international experts, breakouts on cutting edge research and community success stories and plenty of networking opportunities.
Questions?
Contact Danielle Fritze, Project Manager, Public Affairs, Mental Health America at dfritze@mentalhealthamerica.net