People with mental disorders need better healthcare else they may die decades earlier than the average person — mostly from untreated and preventable chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease that are aggravated by poor health habits, inadequate physical activity, poor nutrition, smoking, and substance abuse.

Barriers to primary care — coupled with challenges in navigating complex healthcare systems — have been a major obstacle to care. The primary care settings have become the gateway to the mental health systems, and primary care providers need support and resources to diagnose and treat individuals with mental and general healthcare needs.

What we need is integrated care, the systematic coordination of general and mental healthcare. Integrating mental health, substance abuse, and primary care services produces the best outcomes and proves the most effective approach to caring for people with multiple healthcare needs.