InSHAPE New Hampshire: Promoting Mental Health Wellness, Saving Lives

People with severe and relentless mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder also bear a greater physical burden; they are at increased risk for obesity and chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and nicotine dependence. Serious mental illness is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality; these patients die an average of 25 years earlier than the average individual due to higher rates of medical illness than can lead to premature mortality.These gloomy statistics inspired Ken Jue, MSW, CEO of Monadnock Family Services in Keene, New Hampshire to start the In SHAPE program. "What we're trying to do is prevent premature death of persons with serious mental illness," says

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