By Liz Kresse
January 31, 2005

Toledo Mayor Jack Ford chaired the first meeting of the Mayors' Mental Health Task Force on the opening day of the 73rd Winter Meeting. Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic made introductory comments in support of the new initiative and noted that mental illness is a problem that "doesn't fit into a regular box" but must nevertheless be addressed by mayors.

Ford, whose background includes operating a mental health clinic for thirteen years, stated that the goal of the meeting was to leave with a work plan outlining how the task force can address the problem of mental illness in cities. He also pointed out that the Conference of Mayors already has a policy position on access to mental health treatment and services in the form of a resolution adopted at the 2004 Annual Meeting in Boston.

Ford then introduced the first of three distinguished speakers, Representative Timothy F. Murphy (PA), Co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus. Murphy, a practicing child psychologist and one of the few health care professionals in Congress, holds two adjunct faculty positions with the University of Pittsburgh. Murphy provided a brief overview of the economic impact of mental illness, particularly depression, which costs employer $79 billion annually in lost productivity. He asked mayors to "use your bully pulpit" to encourage local employers to include mental health coverage in employee health plans, adding, "if mental health coverage isn't integrated into health plans, costs will rise...the mentally ill will be on the streets, in jail." The issue, he emphasized, should be presented to local business leaders as one of cost savings in light of lost productivity due to mental illness.

The next presentation was by Lydia Lewis, President of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (www.DBSAlliance.org). Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) results in dramatic mood swings that can affect a person's ability to function normally in daily life. Lewis provided some statistics demonstrating the serious impact of bipolar disorder (BPD):

• without effective treatment, 1 out of 5 people with BPD will die by suicide;
• BPD is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide according to the World Health Organization;
• sixty percent of the BPD population suffer from substance or alcohol abuse (versus eight percent of the general population);
• approximately two to four percent of inmates in state prisons have a mental illness; and
• fifty-eight percent of individuals with BPD gave up working outside the home, according to one survey.

Lewis closed by urging the mayors to save lives by supporting a bipolar disorder initiative.

The final presentation was made by Dr. Ivan Walks, former Chief Health Officer of the District of Columbia, who gained national attention during the 2001 anthrax attack on Washington (DC). Walks is the CEO of Ivan Walks and Associates, a consulting firm, and sits on a number of boards and commissions including the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross and the September 11 Recovery Program Oversight Commission. Walks reiterated the message of "making a business case" for increasing access to mental health treatment by appealing to employers to include mental health coverage in their health plans. He also suggested that mayors increase awareness about the impact of mental illness by proclaiming a period of mental health awareness such as Washington (DC) Mayor Anthony Williams did in 2004.

Ford ended the meeting by making a commitment to hold another task force meeting in June at the 73rd Annual Meeting in Chicago.