Christine Wilhelm Lesson: Time to Focus on Prevention

National Mental Health Association
Friday, 11 July 2003

Policy Makers Must Increase Funding and Access to Mental Health Services: Statement by Michael Faenza, NMHA President and CEO

The case of Christine Wilhelm, the woman in Troy, N.Y., with paranoid schizophrenia who was convicted of drowning her 4-year-old son and attempting to drown her 5-year-old son, is a painful example of how our under-funded and fractured mental health system fails to address the needs of families living with mental illness.

As Wilhelm's trial demonstrated, many families do not have access to appropriate, quality mental healthcare. In fact, more than two-thirds of people with mental illness do not receive adequate mental health treatment. And, because available programs have differing eligibility criteria and lack coordination in funding and care, families have difficulty navigating service systems.

To help families cope with the impact of mental illness, policy makers must increase funding for community-based mental health services and prevention programs that provide coordinated and comprehensive care. In addition, legislators must address the lack of parity in health insurance coverage that puts limits on mental healthcare.

One prevention program that has been proven effective in supporting families in which a parent has a mental illness is the Invisible Children's Project. This National Mental Health Association initiative is designed to provide access to mental health services, help parents in their parenting role, maintain family stability, and prevent youth from developing mental health or related problems.

Unfortunately, due to state budget cuts and scarce mental health resources, programs such as the Invisible Children's Project are not reaching families when they most need it — before a mental health crisis occurs.

The loss of the Wilhelm's son last April was a horrible tragedy that is still difficult to comprehend. It's our hope that Wilhelm can finally receive the treatment and care she needs and that America can finally understand the seriousness of mental illness and the need for mental health prevention programs, parity in health insurance coverage and better access to quality mental healthcare.

The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. The NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service.

For more information, or to contact National Mental Health Association, see their website at: www.nmha.org