[NYAPRS Enews] SAMHSA Wellness '10 by 10 Campaign' Update

[Matt Canuteson]

The 10 by 10 Campaign Update

Volume 4   August/September 2008

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

 

Greetings!  This is the fourth update on the 10 by 10 Campaign to
promote wellness for people with mental illnesses and reduce early
mortality by 10 years over the next 10 year time period.  Please forward
to anyone who might be interested.  

 

A National Call to Action for Wellness of People with Mental Illnesses

The early mortality rates of people with serious mental illness - up to
25 years life lost - have recently received much-needed attention. This
disparity in life expectancy is unacceptable.  People with serious
mental illnesses deserve to live as long and healthy lives as other
Americans.

As the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
(NASMHPD) Medical Director's Council recently reported the "increased
morbidity and mortality are largely due to treatable medical conditions
that are caused by modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity,
substance abuse, and inadequate access to medical care."

For more information go to:
http://www.bu.edu/cpr/resources/wellness-summit/background.html
<http://www.bu.edu/cpr/resources/wellness-summit/background.html> 

 

The Pledge for Wellness

We envision a future in which people with mental illness pursue optimal
health, happiness, recovery, and a full and satisfying life in the
community via access to a range of effective services, supports, and
resources.

We pledge to promote wellness for people with mental illness by taking
action to prevent and reduce early mortality by 10 years over the next
10 year time period. Over 50 organizations have signed onto the pledge.
Sing up now by email:  paolo.delvecchio at samhsa.hhs.gov
<mailto:paolo.delvecchio at samhsa.hhs.gov> 

 

New Grant Aims to Overcome Obesity in People with Serious Mental Illness

A new grant funded by NIMH will test the effectiveness of a promising
intervention designed to help people with serious mental illness (SMI)
who are overweight or obese lose weight and keep it off.

Obesity is common among people with SMI and contributes to a higher risk
for cardiovascular disease and a shortened life expectancy. Yet, typical
weight loss programs are frequently less effective for people with SMI.
Gail Daumit, M.D., M.H.S., of Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues
designed a comprehensive behavioral weight loss program tailored to the
specific needs of people with SMI. 

The program will be tested in a randomized clinical trial-named the
ACHIEVE trial-with 320 participants in up to ten psychiatric
rehabilitation centers around Maryland. Participants will be randomized
to either the intervention or to a comparison group who will receive
"usual care" that does not include the tailored components.

Participants in the intervention group will receive six months of
intensive group and individual weight loss management and counseling
sessions that complement their mental health treatments, plus exercise
classes. During a 12-month follow-up maintenance period, the intensity
and frequency of sessions will gradually taper off. The researchers will
measure the participants' change in weight and other health-related
factors over the 18-month period. If successful, the intervention could
become the basis for a model program to help people with SMI conquer
obesity.

For more information go to:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/index-research-and-trials-news.shtm
l
<http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/index-research-and-trials-news.sht
ml> 

 

Working Toward Wellness

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance's booklet can help you look
at your life style choices, track your progress, recognize the patterns
relating to your mental health. Through examples it guides you in areas
like symptoms, mood triggers, peer support, healthy lifestyle, talking
to health care providers and others about your illness, crisis planning,
and helping you to put together a wellness plan that fits you.  

To download go to:
http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/wellnesswkbkfinal2.pdf
<http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/wellnesswkbkfinal2.pdf> 

 

CDC National Health Interview Survey 

The issue of health and well-being of people with disabilities is
receiving recognition as a national and international priority, as
several recent initiatives indicate. The accomplishment of these
initiatives requires high quality data to uncover disparities, plan
programs, and monitor and evaluate progress. 

3% of the population reported emotional difficulties.  Approximately
one-half of adults with emotional difficulties were under 45 years of
age.  Of those who were aged 65 years or over with any basic actions
difficulty, only 13% reported emotional difficulties.

Women were also overrepresented in the population with emotional
difficulty (64%), and emotional difficulty is not as likely to be
associated with increasing age as other disabilities.

Approximately 52% of those with emotional difficulty reported fair or
poor health which is of interest because those with emotional difficulty
are more likely to be 18-44 years of age, and this age group generally
reports better health.

About one-third of adults with emotional difficulty were obese, compared
with less than 20% of adults with no disability.

People with emotional difficulties were by far the most likely to smoke
(43%) compared with those who had other types of difficulties.

Among adults with specific types of disability, current heavy drinking
rates were highest for adults with the least severe difficulty in
movement (10%) and with emotional difficulty (8%),  Rates of reporting
of 5 or more drinks on 21 or more days in the past year were highest
among people with emotional difficulty (18%).

Adults with emotional difficulty, who tend to be younger than those with
other types of difficulties, are more likely to lack a usual source of
healthcare (18%)  People with emotional difficulty were more likely than
those with other types of disability to report a clinic or health center
as their source of care (24%) - in contrast to private doctors and other
settings.

People with emotional difficulties most often reported being uninsured
(28%).

Among men and women 50 years of age and over with various types of basic
actions difficulties, those with emotional difficulty were less likely
to receive influenza vaccination than those with movement difficulty,
seeing or hearing difficulty, or cognitive difficulty.

For the full report go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/disability2001-2005.pdf
<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/disability2001-2005.pdf> 

 

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability

The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
(NCPAD), supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is
to promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from
participating in regular physical activity. The slogan of NCPAD is
Exercise is for EVERY body, and every person can gain some health
benefit from being more physically active.  NCPAD is an information
center concerned with physical activity and disability.  

For more information, please see: http://www.ncpad.org/
<http://www.ncpad.org/> 

 

SAMHSA Smoke-Free Conference Policy

Effective August 15, 2008, SAMHSA has adopted a smoke-free conference
policy.

Policy Summary

SAMHSA's smoke-free Conference Policy requires that all meetings and
conferences (20 or more participants) sponsored by SAMHSA or organized
by a SAMHSA employee(s) be held in a town, city, county, or state that
is smoke-free-this includes SAMHSA conferences done through a contract.

SAMHSA encourages adherence to Smoke-Free Conference Policy for
conferences for which SAMHSA is a co-sponsor.

An approved conference facility is in a locality that is covered by a
state or local law that requires smoke-free enclosed workplaces and
public places including restaurants and meeting facilities. 

 

Quote on Wellness

Physical activity is vital to promote and maintain health, but it's easy
for many of us to overlook. The Physical Activity Guidelines (see last
page) will underscore the importance of physical activity to America's
health and assist on the journey to a healthier life. Good
health-wellness-doesn't just happen. Wellness has to be a habit."

Secretary Michael O. Leavitt U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services

 

Disease Prevention Called a Better Bet
Wellness Programs Yield Greater Returns, Report Finds

By Megan Greenwell, Washington Post

An ounce of prevention in community health programs could save states
hundreds of millions in health-care costs, a new study has found. The
report from the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy
group, found that programs encouraging physical activity, healthy eating
and no smoking were a better investment than those concentrating
primarily on treatment.

The results are laid out in a state-by-state breakdown. The District,
the researchers found, would save $9.90 for every dollar invested, or
$57 million over five years. Maryland would save $6 for every dollar,
for $332 million over five years, and Virginia would save $385 million
-- $5.20 for every dollar spent.

The researchers arrived at their numbers by calculating potential
decreases in several chronic diseases based on a $10 investment per
person. They found that community health programs could reduce rates of
diabetes and high blood pressure by 5 percent within two years and
reduce the incidence of some forms of cancer and arthritis within 10 to
20 years.

The report, called Prevention for a Healthier America, emphasizes a
major role for nonprofit community health programs such as the YMCA. It
also advocates that state and local governments help create healthier
communities. Researchers endorsed such initiatives as increased tobacco
taxes, smoke-free laws, nutrition labeling on restaurant menus and
maintaining sidewalks as low-cost ways to encourage healthy living.

The researchers commended several innovative community health
initiatives, including a children's program in Dallas that has led to
healthier eating and increased physical activity among youngsters and
the District's new Child Health Action Plan, which targets some of the
city's worst health problems affecting youth. However, the researchers
found that many such programs lack funding, a chronic problem for many
preventive health initiatives.

For the complete article go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR200807
1700990.html?nav=rss_health
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR20080
71700990.html?nav=rss_health> 

 

Consumer Affairs Enews

The CMHS Office of the Associate Director for Consumer Affairs has
established a Listserv to support the participation of mental health
consumers in all aspects of CMHS policy, planning, and grant activities.
The E-News provides useful news and information from the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration including CMHS as well as
other Federal agencies.  This includes information on trainings, grants,
publications, campaigns, programs, and statistics and data reports
related to mental health. 

To join the Consumer Affairs Listserv go to:
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/listserv/
<http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/listserv/> 

 

Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report - Now Available! 

On October 26, 2006, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt
announced the development of comprehensive guidelines to help Americans
fit physical activity into their lives. The Physical Activity Guidelines
Advisory Committee Report, 2008 is now available and presents and
summarizes the Advisory Committee's review of science relating physical
activity to a variety of health outcomes, also addressing particular
subgroups of the population such as children and youth, pregnant and
postpartum women, persons with disabilities, and individuals with some
chronic conditions. 

You can access the Report (and provide comment) by going to
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/
<http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/>  

 

For more information on CMHS Wellness Efforts, please contact: 

Paolo del Vecchio

Associate Director for Consumer Affairs

CMHS, SAMHSA

1 Choke Cherry Rd. Rockville, MD 20857

Phone: (240) 276-1946

Fax: (240) 276-1340

E-mail: paolo.delvecchio at samhsa.hhs.gov
<mailto:paolo.delvecchio at samhsa.hhs.gov> 

Webpage: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/about.asp
<http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/about.asp> 

 

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