OLYMPIA -- A new report on ways to prevent mental illness will be the center of discussion in a series of policy development meetings this spring around Washington State, preparing for a Mental Health "Prevention Summit" in May.

The report, Mental Health–A Public Health Approach: Developing a Prevention-Oriented Mental Health System in Washington State, was produced by the State Board of Health and funded in part by the state's Mental Health Transformation Project.

The report defines a public health approach to mental health that stresses prevention, just as physical health advocates promote exercise and good diet as a way of avoiding bodily diseases and chronic conditions.

The stakes are high. According to the report, about one in every five U.S. adults has a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. In addition, mental illness in the U.S. ranks second only to heart disease in disease burden.

The good news is that a significant portion of mental illness is now believed to be preventable, and recent research continues to identify new ways to implement prevention. The report underscores the fact that research has improved knowledge of biological and environmental factors related to mental disorders, including serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

The report also says evidence shows that prevention efforts can be successful with disorders that are the result of both genetic and psychosocial influence.

Five key subpopulation groups are identified in the report: (1) children birth to five; (2) school-aged children; (3) youth in transition to adulthood; (4) adults; and (5) older adults. The unique needs of each are addressed separately.

The Transformation Project is now holding meetings around the state to spur discussion about the ideas raised in the report. Those meetings will culminate in a May 13 Prevention Summit designed to produce specific policy recommendations. The Prevention Summit will be held at the Doubletree Inn in Tukwila.

The Prevention Report Washington State policymakers are grappling with a new idea: Can mental illness be prevented in the same way prevention techniques help maintain physical health? Copies of the report are available on the Mental Health Transformation Grant Web site at: http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/prevsummit.shtml

BACKGROUND: The Mental Health Transformation Project is a five-year project funded by a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support mental health infrastructure and service delivery improvement activities. A preventive approach has been identified as one of the critical components to that effort.

The grant is a direct result of the move toward recovery-oriented, consumer- and family-driven mental health priorities identified by the President's New Freedom Commission.

FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND, CONTACT: Jim Stevenson, Communications Director, HRSA, DSHS, 360-902-7604 (Pager: 360-971-4067).