Advances in understanding and treating mental illness: Implications for policy

Mental illnesses have a significant impact on public health and contribute to a substantial part of the disability of the general population. Recent r esearch on understanding and treating such illnesses has produced data that can inform policymakers about how to improve the condition of persons who suffer from these illnesses. This paper discusses how this re search can be used to inform policy decisions regarding the allocation of community trea tment resources and what research is still needed.