“As the nation continues to realize the tragic consequences of a deficient mental health care system, NIMH has been diligently searching for solutions for patients with schizophrenia. Innovative programs and key research at NIMH are being utilized across the country to transition from a crisis-centered model to an approached focused on early psychiatric intervention. The results clearly demonstrate that patients not only benefit from these programs, but they are more likely to recover and live a highly fulfilling life.”
The briefing presented results from the NIMH-funded Recovery After Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) study and called for our nation to move from a crisis-driven mental health system to an early response system. Researchers, physicians, and patients involved in the RAISE program shared their findings and stories on the benefits of treating patients through a coordinated array of evidence-based specialty care early in the course of their illnesses.
Given the current state of our mental health care system, early preventative care is critical to ensure that our population’s mental health needs are met and that future tragedies are avoided. The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, a bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by Congresswoman Johnson and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA), will allow effective preventative care like RAISE to be implemented in communities across the country.
