January 28, 2012       
09:53 am       

2010 Priorities
National Coalition On Mental Health and Aging

NCMHA is comprised of over 80 members representing professional, consumer and government organizations with expertise in mental health and aging issues. Its goal is to work together towards improving the availability and quality of mental health preventive and treatment services to older Americans and their families. In preparation for the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA), NCMHA developed and endorsed resolutions supporting the critical need to address older adult mental health and substance abuse issues.

Consider these facts: Almost 20% of persons age 55 and over experience specific mental and cognitive disorders that are not part of the “normal” aging process. The need and demand for mental health and substance abuse services is expected to increase due to the growing older population and the increased acceptance and utilization of mental health services by aging baby boomers. However, two-thirds of older adults with a mental disorder do not receive needed services. Tragically, older adults have the highest suicide rate of any age group, with persons 85 years of age and older having a rate almost double and older white men having a rate almost six times the suicide rate of the general population. This is unfortunate as there ARE effective interventions for most mental health and substance abuse disorders experienced by older persons. Broad importance of and support for this issue was evidenced at the 2005 WHCoA, with seventy-five percent (929 out of 1,200) of Conference national delegates voting to improve "recognition, assessment, and treatment of mental illness and depression among older Americans.” This resolution on mental health ranked #8 of all policy priorities resulting from the conference.

This problem remains a critical one that should continue to be addressed in all current and future deliberations and efforts to foster the health and well being of older adults, their caregivers, and families. Therefore, NCMHA revisited its 2005 WHCoA recommendations and have identified 15 as its 2010 Priorities. We are once again encouraging individuals and organizations to become actively involved at the national, state, and local level to foster efforts to address the mental health and substance abuse needs of older Americans.

To view NCMHA's 2010 Priorities, Click here