The Role of State Health Departments in Advancing a New Mental Health Agenda

Throughout the 20th century, the mission of local and state public health departments broadened from infectious disease prevention and control to encompass maternal and child health, immunizations, food and water safety, environmental health, and chronic disease prevention (1-3). Now it is recognized that mental illness, especially depression, influences the treatment and outcomes of many chronic diseases (4). However, mental health has traditionally been managed as a separate state and local service focused on treating mental illnesses and substance abuse, not on preventing mental illness and promoting mental health. Few state public health departments have integrated physical and mental health services.