MHA Leader Promises Transformation
David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America (MHA), one of the nation's leading mental health advocacy organizations, says that MHA is celebrating its centennial this year and is taking advantage of that milestone as “an opportunity to look back and look forward.”
Credit: David Hathcox
In a presentation at the APA Board of Trustees meeting last month in Arlington, Va., David Shern, Ph.D., emphasized that a crucial focus for Mental Health America (MHA), which he heads, looking forward will be on prevention of mental illness, now that science has provided knowledge and tools “to do it right.”
As it reconceptualizes the way it addresses mental health and mental illness issues, MHA will turn to multistake-holder work groups whose mission will be setting a “transformative agenda” for the organization, Shern said. It will also devote considerable effort to make sure that mental health is integrated into “mainstream” health care.
Mental health clinicians and advocates need to focus more on chronic illness, which means doing a better job of preventing, treating, and managing it, he noted. He pointed out that mental illness is the most frequent comorbid chronic medical condition, but its treatment often takes a back seat to that for other conditions. Recognition and treatment of chronic mental illness could, however, “be a real cost saver” in the long run. ▪
