The Community Guide - Improving Mental Health and Addressing Mental Illness

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The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services

Together, the Community Guide and the Clinical Guide provide evidence-based recommendations across the prevention spectrum.

Mental disorders are common in the United States.

In the U.S., about one in four adults and one in five children have diagnosable mental disorders (National Institute of Mental Health) .
Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability among ages 15-44 in the United States and Canada combined (National Institute of Mental Health) .
The cost of lost earnings alone due to major mental disorders in the United States is around $193 billion each year (Kessler 2003).

Task Force Recommendations & Findings

This table lists interventions reviewed by the Community Guide, with Task Force findings for each (definitions of findings). Click on an underlined intervention title for a summary of the review.

Collaborative Care for the Management of Depressive Disorders	Recommended June 2010
Mental Health Benefits Legislation	Recommended August 2012
Interventions to Reduce Depression Among Older Adults
Home-Based Depression Care Management	Recommended February 2008
Clinic-Based Depression Care Management	Recommended February 2008
Community-Based Exercise Interventions	Insufficient Evidence February 2008