| Millions of Americans today receive health care for | | | | infrastructure, and a differently structured |
| mental or substance-use problems and illnesses. | | | | marketplace. These and other differences raised |
| These conditions are the leading cause of combined | | | | questions about whether the Quality Chasm approach |
| disability and death of women and the second | | | | is applicable to health care for mental and |
| highest of men. Effective addiction treatments exist | | | | substance-use conditions and, if so, how it should be |
| and continually improve. However, as with general | | | | applied. This report, Improving the Quality of Health |
| health care, deficiencies in drug rehab delivery | | | | Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions: |
| prevent many from receiving appropriate drug rehab | | | | Quality Chasm Series, examines those differences, |
| treatments. That situation has serious | | | | finds that the Quality Chasm framework is applicable |
| consequences--for people who have the conditions; | | | | to health care for mental and substance-use |
| for their loved ones; for the workplace; for the | | | | conditions, and describes a multifaceted and |
| education, welfare, and justice systems; and for our | | | | comprehensive strategy to do so. The strategy |
| nation as a whole. | | | | addresses issues pertaining to health care for both |
| A previous Institute of Medicine report, Crossing the | | | | mental and substance-use conditions and the essential |
| Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st | | | | role that health care for both plays in improving |
| Century (2001), put forth a strategy for improving | | | | overall health and health care. In doing so it details |
| health care overall. However, health care for mental | | | | the actions required to achieve those ends-actions |
| and substance-use conditions has a number of | | | | required of clinicians; health care organizations; health |
| distinctive characteristics, such as the greater use of | | | | plans; purchasers; state, local, and federal |
| coercion into drug rehab, separate care delivery | | | | governments; and all parties involved in health care |
| systems, a less developed quality measurement | | | | for mental and substance-use conditions. |