Peer-run respites are voluntary, more hope inspiring, community integrated, trauma-informed, and less expensive than psychiatric hospitals.

The vast majority of people diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse issues are trauma survivors. The best prevention would be prevention of violence, particularly violence against children.

1. accept new research: prevalence between 2 and 5%.
2. fetal alcohol causes disruptions in thinking, regulation, behavior--"doing life", even with normal or high IQ
3. it's filling up our jails, homeless shelters, welfare rolls.'
4. almost no one recognizes it in agencies that are drowning in it.
5. early identification and appropriate support can prevent secondary disabilities of criminality, school failure, mental illness, addiction.
6. we cannot affort to stay in denial.

Incorporate environmental strategies throughout goals 1, 2, 3 and 4, not only as they relate to underage drinking.

Ensure these unique risk factors are embedded in the subgoals.

Warmlines are peer-run compassionate listening, support and information and referral lines. They divert people from costlier emergency services. Most have limited hours and increased funding could help lead to warmline availabilty 24 hours a day 7 days a week. For more information see www.warmline.org and consider joining free listserves on warmlines and peer-run respites.

Do not homogenize it with either prevention for selected and indicated populations or mental health promotion.

With 77 million aging baby boomers, the strategic initiative needs to have a focus on addressing the needs of older persons

remain focused on prevention - whole health of the individual and community to get and stay ahead of potential issues and problems

People are still being injured and killed by the use of seclusion and restraint. More work needs to be done. For more details, please visit www.RestraintFreeWorld.org

If it weren't for the family caregivers of our mentally ill, the cost and potential problems would fall on the taxpayers yet there isn't any financial support for family caregivers. Being a caregiver is 24/7 -- mental illness is not a Monday - Friday - 9 to 5 pm illness. We need to get rid of the attitude that it is a family problem and support our caregivers. Family Support is key to Recovery!!

The connection between fasd and mental health and substance abuse is well established.
The connection is on of CAUSE and EFFECT.
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy directly causes mental health problems and substance abuse

Native American and other minority communities believe that SAMHSA may be losing interest in eliminating mental health disparities such as adolescent suicide. We would like these disparities emphasized.