National Association for Mental Health

This is no less dramatically true tor the folsity of the concept of mental illness than it is for that of masturbatory insanity. The National Association for Mental Health asserts, and American presidents endorse and repeat, that Mental illness is like any other illness. The facts are that American citizens may be hospitalized and treated against their will for mental illness, but not for any other may plead mental illness as an excuse to crime, but not any other and may obtain a divorce from their spouses disabled by mental illness, but not by any other. Yet, these facts have not weakened—indeed, perhaps they have strengthened—the psychiatric and popular view that mental disorders are medical diseases requiring care by physicians in hospitals. 

The American mental health movement shifts into high gear the Psychiatric Foundation, the National Mental Health Foundation, and the National Committee for Mental Hygiene merge to form the National Association for Mental Health. 

National Association for Mental Health, Calendar for 1968 (May) and Dain, p. 176. 

National Association for Mental Health. Calendar for ip68. 

Julian s scientific work generated about 100 technical papers and more than 200 patents. He received nineteen honorary degrees, was a trustee at six colleges and universities, and was active in the Chicago Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago. 

In an analysis of data from the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Depression Study in 643 patients with affective disorders who were followed up after fluoxetine was approved by the FDA in December 1987 for the treatment of depression, nearly 30% (n = 185) took fluoxetine at some point (18). There was an increased rate of suicide attempts before fluoxetine treatment in those who subsequently took fluoxetine. Relative to no treatment, fluoxetine and other antidepressants were associated with non-significant reductions in the likelihood of suicide attempts or completions. Severity of psychopathology was strongly associated with increased risk, and each suicide attempt after admission to the study was associated with a marginally significant increase in the risk of suicidal behavior. The authors concluded that the results did not support the speculation that fluoxetine increases the risk of suicide. 

The symptoms associated with mental health disorders frequently arc treated with prescription medications, most commonly prescriptions for an antianxicty or antidepressant agent. (Antipsychotic medications account for a small fraction of the total number of prc.scriptions provided.) And considerable relief is reported National surveys suggest that approximately three fourths of patients who receive these medications report some degree of symptomatic relief... 

Further detailed analyses of the ECA data have been extrapolated to USA national costs (Rice and Miller, 1998). It was calculated that the economic costs of mental disorders in 1990 in the USA totalled US 147.8 billion. Anxiety disorders were the most cosdy, amounting to 46.6 billion, just under a third of the total. Direct costs spent on mental health care totalled 67 billion, of which anxiety disorders accounted for only 11 billion (16.5%). Drug costs were 2191 million, of which anxiety disorders accounted for 1167 million—over half Morbidity costs—the value of goods and services not produced because of mental disorders — amounted to 63.1 billion, with anxiety disorders accounting for 34.2 billion, 54.2% of the total. This reflects the high prevalence of anxiety disorders in the community and the high associated rate of lost productivity. In contrast, patients with affective disorders appeared better able to function (Rice and Miller, 1995). In summary, anxiety disorders are common, disruptive and costly to society drug treatment is a substantial element of treatment costs (11%) compared with, say, schizophrenia (2.2%). 

We are grateful for the technical assistance from Mary Smirniw and Stephanie Care. Some of the work reviewed in this article was supported by grants to JLK from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Ontario Mental Health Association, and the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression. 

Regan, K., Director of Division on Planning and Evaluation, Office of Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy Coordination, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, National Insitutes of Health, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD, personal communication, February 4, 1991. 

In 1950, funding for the NIMH was less than 1 million ten years later, it was 87 million in 1992, it reached 1 bilhon. In 1965, when Medicare and Medicaid were enacted, their cost was 65 biUion in 1993, it was nearly 939 billion. Between 1969 and 1994, the national mental health budget increased from about 3 billion to 80 billion. Between 1968 and 1983, the number of clinical psychologists tripled, from 12,000 to more than 40,000 the number of clinical social workers grew from 25,000 in 1970, to 80,000 in 1990 and membership in the American Psychological Association grew from fewer than 3,000 in 1970 to more than 120,000 in 1993. ... 

School crisis prevention efforts have been strengthened throughout recent years with a new model and curriculum developed through collaborative efforts of workgroups sponsored by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The PREPaRE curriculum was developed for educators and school-based mental health professionals to provide training on how best to fill the roles and responsibilities generated by their membership on school crisis teams (Brock et al 2009, p. viii). The PREPaRE acronym represents interventions in a sequential and hierarchical order, specifically (Brock et al., 2009, p. ix) ... 

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