Our Impact
Improving the Health of People with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness
According to a national study, people with serious and persistent mental illness die on average 10-25 years younger than the general population. This is largely due to modifiable and treatable conditions such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
MHR is making an impact in the health of the people we serve through our Health and Wellness Initiative by training our case managers to connect the people they serve with primary care, dental care and tobacco cessation tools.
A 2023 analysis by the Constellation Fund of our Health and Wellness Initiative showed $7.32 in benefits for every dollar invested. These benefits lead to a projected increase in quality-adjusted life years due to smoking cessation, dental care, and physical health care.
MHR seeks to better meet the health goals of the people we serve by addressing both mind and body.
MHR partnered with Minnesota Department of Health to create workflows to provide better integrated care for the people we serve. Click here to learn more about this collaboration.
By building overall health and wellness, people with serious and persistent mental illness will live longer, improve their quality of life, and increase their ability to pursue their recovery goals.
MHR provides resources to improve oral health care for the people we serve.
In 2024, MHR’s Health and Wellness Coordinator, Jourdan Hennick, developed a toolkit for dental providers as a resource when they are serving people with serious mental illness.
Link: Toolkit for Dental Providers: Dental Care for People Living with Serious Mental Illness and/or Substance Use Disorder
MHR supports the people we serve to address their commercial tobacco use.
Tobacco use rates among our population remain dramatically higher than the general population and tobacco-related illnesses are the #1 cause of premature death for people living with mental illness. The MHR Wellness Team provides education, resources (such as free nicotine replacement [NRT]) and support to MHR teams so they can better assist clients in their tobacco cessation efforts. MHR case managers routinely screen for tobacco use and offer resources and support.
Click the video below for stories from MHR participants to hear insights and experiences about how they have made changes in their tobacco use.
Survey responses from the people served by MHR
Key Results
Annual Reports for Mental Health Resources are available in PDF format.
Newsletters for Mental Health Resources are available in PDF format.