The Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health was established in 1955 in response to the increasing awareness of mental health issues in the United States. The commission was created to provide a comprehensive review of the nation’s mental health problems and to make recommendations for improving services and treatments. The commission was composed of leading figures from government, medicine, mental health, welfare, and education.
The commission’s report, Action for Mental Health, was released in 1961. This landmark document laid the groundwork for much of the development of mental health services in the U.S. over the past 50 years. The report identified the need for a comprehensive approach to mental health and recommended that a national mental health program be created. It also emphasized the importance of prevention, early diagnosis and intervention, and long-term follow-up services.
The report also identified the need for improved training of mental health professionals, better coordination of services, and increased public awareness and understanding of mental health problems. In addition, it stressed the need for research into the causes of mental illness and the development of effective treatments.
The Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health provided a framework for the development of mental health services that is still in place today. The report has been used to inform policy and program development in the United States and around the world.
For further reading, please see the following scientific journal articles:
1. “The Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health: A Historical Perspective” by J.R. Schulte, J.P. Morris, and A.T. Jackson in The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Volume 32, Issue 4, pp. 613-621.
2. “The Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health: A Reappraisal” by G.L. Klerman and P.V. Rabins in The American Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 141, Issue 10, pp. 1216-1220.
3. “The Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health: Its Legacy and Relevance to Today’s Mental Health System” by J.P. Morris and L.J. Klerman in The American Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 164, Issue 5, pp. 675-680.