Contact Communications@thenationalcouncil.org or 301.984.6200, ext. 228

Washington, DC (November 30, 2006) — Nearly 50 percent of individuals with mental illnesses who are discharged from inpatient care and referred to community-based treatment, fail to make the transition. Members of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, community-based behavioral healthcare providers — are deeply concerned about the significant human, social, and financial consequences of this interruption and discontinuation in mental healthcare. Individuals with mental illnesses who discontinue care upon discharge from inpatient settings can find themselves in crisis, ending up in emergency rooms or even jails.

Every day, community-based providers struggle, often with limited resources, to connect with and serve individuals being discharged from acute and long term inpatient settings. The National Council is committed to improving the continuity of care. We will convene nearly 40 thought leaders from leading national mental health associations, federal agencies, healthcare regulatory bodies, academic institutions, mental health inpatient and outpatient organizations, and consumers and families, for a Continuity of Therapy Experts Roundtable in Washington D.C. on December 6, 2006. The roundtable will examine past efforts to address this critical issue and begin to explore new approaches to coordination between inpatient and outpatient settings and to the engagement of persons with mental illness in continued care.

In early 2007, the National Council will disseminate detailed findings on the extent and impact of care discontinuation, as well as the recommended approaches, guidelines and next steps from the roundtable. This dissemination will mark the beginning of a continuity of care education and technical assistance project involving all stakeholders.

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The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) association representing 1,300 mental health and addictions treatment and rehabilitation organizations that serve nearly six million adults, children, and families in communities across America.