The following preliminary recommendations are organized around the
four identified health initiatives and are based on research presented
in this report as well as the work of the planning groups for each
initiative. Within each health initiative general recommendations are
provided that focus on integrating mental health, physical health,
and substance abuse issues. These initiatives are inter-linked; the
action of any one will impact the other three. To reduce health disparities
we need more emphases on wellness and prevention programs, better access
to care, and we need to reduce the impact of substance abuse on the
community. The synergistic effects of these initiatives will have a
greater impact on the health of the community than any one of them
individually.
Many of our community's most serious problems such as substance abuse,
diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease could be seriously impacted
by a targeted effort at individual health behaviors. For example, a
consortium of community employers, organizations, schools, public/private
sector health providers might replicate innovative anti-smoking models
such as California's very successful state-wide initiative. The exponential
impact of a successful anti-smoking campaign on hospital costs, heart
disease, cancer rates, and productivity lost at the work place provides
just one cost-effective illustration of the potential effect of a major
preventive collaborative effort.
Table 10-1 identifies the support planning groups that are being utilized
for each initiative. The next step will be for the initiative planning
groups to develop more detailed plans and recommendations with input
from community workgroups for each health initiative.
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