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Frequently Asked Questions
Please note: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Mental Health Information Center provides information about mental health via a toll-free telephone number 800-789-2647, their Web site, and has more than 600 publications. The National Mental Health Information Center was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policymakers, mental health care providers, and the media. Information center staff members listen and respond to questions from the public and professionals. The staff quickly directs callers to federal, state, and local organizations dedicated to treating and preventing mental illness. The information center also has information on federal grants, conferences, and other events. Where can I get data on the prevalence of mental disorders in the United States? The lead federal agencies working to reduce the burden of mental disorders are the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). Both organizations have extensive Web sites that provide substantial information including statistics on mental disorders, reports and fact sheets on specific mental disorders in specific populations, and consensus conference reports on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. See also, the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health for additional information on mental health. You can access this information at:
Additional information can be found at PubMed. PubMed is a service of the National Library of Medicine that provides access to more than 12 million MEDLINE citations starting in the mid-1960s and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources. Where can I get information on specific treatments for mental disorders? If you have questions about mental health or where to get mental health services, your doctor or a licensed mental health professional in your community may be able to answer those questions or refer you to someone who can. A nearby health facility or your state mental health agency also may be able to help. We are not able to answer individual treatment questions or provide clinical referrals through this Web site. However, for access to contact information for a number of mental health organizations in each state, see Mental Health Organizations by State. For links to other mental health organizations and educational resources, see Resources. Where can I get information on specific mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, or other disorders? The lead federal agencies working to reduce the burden of mental disorders are the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). Both organizations have extensive Web sites that provide substantial information including statistics on mental disorders, reports and fact sheets on specific mental disorders in specific populations, and consensus conference reports on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Also, Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, published in 1999, highlights a variety of important mental health issues. For other mental disorders, please see NIMH's Web site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/index.cfm Where can I find information on mental health in children? For more information on mental health issues in children, please see the following resources:
Where can I learn about insurance coverage for mental health services? If a person has access to health insurance, in most cases, that insurance provider should be able to determine what mental health services, if any, the insurance provider will cover. If you have more general questions about what types of care are covered by insurance providers in general, you might wish to contact the Center for Mental Health Services, which is one of the two lead federal agencies involved in the area of mental health. The other is the National Institute for Mental Health. See Health Insurance - Provision of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for specific information related to insurance for mental health services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may also be able to provide useful information, particularly about Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The state mental health agency, local mental health agency, doctors, local mental health facilities, or state consumer protection agency may also be able to help in specific situations. See Mental Health Organizations by State for more information. How can I find out about fellowship/internship opportunities in mental health? CDC is not the lead federal agency for mental health and does not currently sponsor such a program in mental health. However, there are fellowships/internships in mental health related disciplines that are offered at numerous public and private universities, as well as other government agencies, such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). You might also check with the Center for Mental Health Services, which along with NIMH, serves as lead federal agency for mental health. In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs has offered internships for psychologists and has sponsored research on mental health-related topics, so that might also be another good agency to contact. Private professional organizations, such as the American Psychiatric Association* and the American Psychological Association*, may also be able to offer assistance in gaining further information on available training opportunities. Where can I get surveys and instruments used in research studies to measure mental health domains? The Quality of Life Instruments Database* provides the scales below (under the disease specific & psychiatry categories).
The National Institute of Mental Health may have additional information on the type of scale in which you're interested. Where can I learn more about environmental exposures and their possible effects on mental health? You might want to visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site where you will find information on commercial and industrial pollutants and toxic substances. Where can I get some information on work-related stress? The American Psychological Association and CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), held Work, Stress, and Health '99: Organization of Work in a Global Economy*, a conference dedicated to examining the causes, effects, and prevention of stress in the workplace. Additionally, you might find the following report helpful, Stress... At Work. * Links to non-Federal organizations are
provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an
endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none
should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual
organization Web pages found at this link. Date last reviewed:
09/19/2005 |
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