The Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black Belt was founded in 2007 to address recent research findings published by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) in 2006 regarding early mortality and morbidity of persons with serious mental illness in the United States. According to NASMHPD (2006), persons with serious mental illness served by our public mental health system die, on average, twenty-five years earlier than the average citizen.

This research cited preventable medical conditions and reactions to some psychiatric medications as among the leading causes of this early mortality rate. Preventable risk factors include: smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic disorders.

The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors has proposed a number of solutions to address the issue, including:

• Prioritize the health problem with providers, clients, and family members with a focus on wellness and prevention.
• Track mortality and morbidity of public mental health system populations.
• Implement established standards of care, including screening, prevention, and treatment.
• Improve access to and integrate mental health and primary care services.