Did you know that people with mental illness are more likely to die 15-25 years earlier than the general population, largely due to preventable health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension?
To respond to this disparity, NAMI Maryland has developed an 8-hour, interactive training program based on a version of the national NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) organization’s education program, Hearts and Minds. Funded by the Maryland Department of Health, NAMI Maryland’s Healthy Hearts and Minds program is free to participants and will empower individuals with mental illness to make lifestyle choices that can prevent chronic disease.
By the end of June, 2019, NAMI Maryland will conduct three Healthy Hearts and Minds workshops at three different sites in Harford and Cecil counties. The program will initially focus on rural communities that have limited access to behavioral health providers and other wraparound supports.
Guided by peers who are also managing their own mental and physical health conditions, participants will develop an action plan to quit smoking, develop an exercise routine, and/or adopt a healthier diet. NAMI Maryland has also partnered with local service providers, community groups, and volunteers to connect participants to additional support after the workshops have concluded.
mdlogix will provide the program with an online portal to track the health status of participants before and after the workshops have been completed. The platform will automatically schedule online assessments for participants to complete remotely, sending notices when follow-up assessments are due. Participants will have access to their own data so they can track their health status over time, helping them understand the correlation between their physical and mental health. Follow-up assessments will occur 1, 3, and 6 months after participants complete the workshops. NAMI Maryland will use de-identified participant data to measure improvements in the population, helping to evaluate the success of the program.
NAMI Maryland is seeking continued funding to expand the Healthy Hearts and Minds program throughout rural areas of Maryland once the pilot is completed.
Learn more about NAMI Maryland