Oct 2 – 8th, Silent Awareness Week

Some facts on Mental Health Awareness Week (from National Council on Community Behavioral Health Care)

Most people don’t know mental illness contributes significantly to a public health crisis

• 50% of US adults will develop mental illness in a lifetime

• 1 in 4 people experience a mental disorder in a given year

• 1 in 17 people live with a serious mental health illness

Most people don’t recognize mental illness as a physical health crisis

• Chronic disease is associated with mental illness

• 40%  of the people with mental illness do not seek treatment

• Those inflicted are stigmatized negatively by society

• Recovery rates of 65-80% depending on the diagnosis and treatment

Most people don’t realize the costs related to mental illness without treatment

• $1 dollar spent on treatment saves $7 in crime and criminal justice costs

• 24 states decreased provider reimbursement rates for Medicaid decreasing accessibility to providers

• Consequences of medication disruptions

• Silence is killing and costing unnecessarily

Most people won’t act upon these facts, but CFC is counting on you!

• Speak to your friends, co-workers and family to openly discuss mental illness

• Write a letter by Oct 24^th describing any difficulties that you or your loved ones may have experienced (denials, given generic rather than prescribed, unable to obtain prescription that works).  Send to P&T Committee, address below and let CFC know you’ve done so.

• Call your legislators and the administration to increase reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers

• Post on your FB status: Almost 40% of people with mental illness & substance use disorders never get treated.

Letters to be sent to P&T Committee, HP Enterprise Services, PKL Coordinator, 195 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT 06032-3124

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