b'GREATER MONADNOCK COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2015-2018 PRIORITY AREA 1:BEHAVIORAL HEALTHBehavioral health is a term that covers the full range of mental andPrevalence of Mental Illness among Adults in the United Statesemotional well-beingfrom how we cope with day to day challenges of life to the treatment of mental illnesses as well as substance use and other addictive behavior.It is an essential part of overall health, as it affects how we think, feel, and act.It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. In the context of this document, behavioral health is wide reaching and includes,mentaldisorders,suchasdepressions,bipolardisorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimers Disease etc., as well as mental health, which is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively,andisabletomakeacontributiontohisorher community.Mentaldisordersarehealthconditionsthatare characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, and/or behavior that areassociatedwithdistressand/orimpairedfunctioning.Theycan contribute to a host of problems that may include disability, pain, or death. Sources: National Institute of Mental Health; SAMSA An estimated 26.2% of adults in the United States (one in four adults) suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. 5 In 2012, it was estimated that 9.6 million or 4.1% of adults age 18 or older in theBehavioral health was identified by the CHC as a health area of growing UnitedStateshadseverementalillnessinthepastyear.IfNewconcern for which current prevention and treatment services do not Hampshire is consistent with the rest of the nation, this suggests thatsufficiently address community needs.While current treatment exists, more than 250,000 adults have a diagnosable mental disorder in thethedemandexceedsthecurrentcapacityofthesystemwhichis state.Among children ages 5 to 19 in New Hampshire, it is estimatedimpeded by the limited availability of funding, resources, and trained that as many as 55,756 have a diagnosable mental health disorder andproviders.Recentdatashowsthatthereisasignificantneedfor almost 14,000 have a serious emotional disturbance.increasedsupportforbehavioralhealthservicesintheRegion.A communityneedssurveyconductedbySouthwesternCommunityServices in 2015 identified the need for more mental health services as 5From Discovery to Cure: Accelerating the Development of New and Personalizedthe second highest need in the Region, next to substance abuse and Interventions for Mental Illness. 2010. A report of the National Advisory Mental Healthaddiction.In 2015, Monadnock Family Services (MFS), which is one of Councils Workgroup.http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/advisory-boards-and- ten community-based mental health centers in the state, reported an groups/namhc/reports/fromdiscoverytocure_103739.pdf 19'