The continuum of care should consist of a full range of primary and ancillary services that will address the full spectrum of mental health needs and measurably improve the overall mental health of the community. Persons with Barriers to Accessing Services. Persons who have unresolved issues from past trauma or have experienced more recent trauma. Persons living in environments which are not conducive to good mental health or having their mental health needs met. Persons who have co-occurring health conditions .
Mental disorders are far more common than cancer, diabetes, heart disease or arthritis.
This translates to approximately 150,400 persons in Travis County when taking into consideration general population figures for 1997. Every four to five days a Travis County resident takes his or her own life. In attempting suicide, males use more lethal methods than women and thus more often succeed in ending their lives. More hospital beds are occupied by people with serious mental illness than with any other disease. One in four families will have a loved one with a mental illness nationwide.