Online Program

Oral

There is growing empirical evidence that individuals with severe mental illnesses experience higher than average rates of chronic and life-threatening diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary diseases, which together lead to more death and disability within the United States and throughout the world. This excess mortality and morbidity appears to be influenced by a variety of factors, including lack of access to healthcare, socioeconomic disadvantages, clinical risk factors associated with mental illnesses, and the pharmacologic treatments for mental illness (Druss, Zhag, VonEsenwein, Morrato & Marcus, 2011). This Special Session offers findings from four strategies designed to prevent poor health outcomes for individuals experiencing mental illness: 1) an innovative “health fair” model that also collects epidemiologic data on health risks among participants with serious mental illness; 2) a study of changes in health outcomes following implementation of a registry and care coordinator to health clinics serving adults with co-occurring diabetes and mental illness; 3) a psychoeducational approach to teaching and coaching healthy behaviors including mindful eating and supported physical activity to individuals with severe mental illness; and 4) a randomized study designed to improve health outcomes by integrating a nurse practitioner into a mental health practice. Descriptions of each innovative program/strategy will be presented along with the quantitative and/or qualitative components of the associated services research evaluation. Together, these presentations provide a clearer understanding of the health issues facing individuals with severe mental illness, the barriers to providing integrated health and mental health care, and promising new approaches to address these challenges.

Session Objectives: Name the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among individuals with mental illness. Describe four innovative initiatives designed to improve health outcomes among individuals with severe mental illness. Discuss disease registries and their use in coordination of care for chronic medical and mental health conditions. Describe ways to modify the practice of community health fairs for research purposes and for participants with serious mental health disorders.