title: Garnering partnerships to bridge gaps among mental health, health care, and public health.
abstract: Integrating mental health and public health chronic disease programs requires partnerships at all government levels. Four examples illustrate this approach: 1) a federal partnership to implement mental health and mental illness modules in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; 2) a state partnership to improve diabetes health outcomes for people with mental illness; 3) a community-level example of a partnership with local aging and disability agencies to modify a home health service to reduce depression and improve quality of life among isolated, chronically ill seniors; and 4) a second community-level example of a partnership to promote depression screening and management and secure coverage in primary care settings. Integration of mental health and chronic disease public health programs is a challenging but essential and achievable task in protecting Americans' health.
authors.affiliation: Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Augusta, Maine, USA.
authors.forename: Elsie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Presley-Cantrell
authors.forename: Valerie J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Sharrice
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: White-Cooper
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sturgis
authors.forename: Janet B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Croft
mesh_terms: D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*