INTRODUCTION
Serious Mental Illness (SMI) – also called severe or chronic mental illness – can be defined as mental infirmities that affect individuals long enough to result “… in functional impairment which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. … All of these disorders have episodic, recurrent, or persistent features; however, they vary in terms of severity and disabling effects” (Federal Register, 1993). Grave forms of depression and a wide range of psychotic disorders are in this group.
Several data show the relevance of these illnesses to Houston’s reality. According to the Mental Health Needs Council of Harris County (2015), about 516,000 out of three million adults in the area suffered from a psychiatric disorder in 2015. Almost 143,000, or 4.5%, struggled with a severe mental disorder. These figures endorse the 2014 national average of 4.2% Americans suffering from SMI, according to the …show more content…
It also increases the need for information to ensure that all individuals can find the entry door to the best facilities for their needs. One of the biggest challenges in setting a treatment for SMI is the usual lack of communication at all levels and between all mental health stakeholders.
Mental Health America (2015) builds a “Need x Access” ranking that shows how the need for psychiatric care is not compatible with the access of this network in Texas . A high ranking on the “Need” list suggests a lower prevalence of behavioral health concerns among the population, while a high “Access” position implies a good access to mental health care. Texas does well in the “Need” list, appearing in sixth place among all 51 American states, but is only the 47th in the “Access” record. So, the State has low rates of mental health needs, but even lower access to
Serious Mental Illness (SMI) – also called severe or chronic mental illness – can be defined as mental infirmities that affect individuals long enough to result “… in functional impairment which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. … All of these disorders have episodic, recurrent, or persistent features; however, they vary in terms of severity and disabling effects” (Federal Register, 1993). Grave forms of depression and a wide range of psychotic disorders are in this group.
Several data show the relevance of these illnesses to Houston’s reality. According to the Mental Health Needs Council of Harris County (2015), about 516,000 out of three million adults in the area suffered from a psychiatric disorder in 2015. Almost 143,000, or 4.5%, struggled with a severe mental disorder. These figures endorse the 2014 national average of 4.2% Americans suffering from SMI, according to the …show more content…
It also increases the need for information to ensure that all individuals can find the entry door to the best facilities for their needs. One of the biggest challenges in setting a treatment for SMI is the usual lack of communication at all levels and between all mental health stakeholders.
Mental Health America (2015) builds a “Need x Access” ranking that shows how the need for psychiatric care is not compatible with the access of this network in Texas . A high ranking on the “Need” list suggests a lower prevalence of behavioral health concerns among the population, while a high “Access” position implies a good access to mental health care. Texas does well in the “Need” list, appearing in sixth place among all 51 American states, but is only the 47th in the “Access” record. So, the State has low rates of mental health needs, but even lower access to