Press release:
Burien nonprofit community mental health provider Navos has been awarded a $1.8 million grant by the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The award, to be funded over four years, will support and promote better primary care and behavioral health services for individuals with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders.

The program will be aimed at improving the physical health of people with serious mental illness by supporting Navos and the community to coordinate and integrate primary care services into publicly funded community mental health and other community-based behavioral health settings. Navos, with primary locations in West Seattle and Burien, will enter into a partnership with Public Health-Seattle/King County to develop and expand their offering of primary healthcare services for people with serious mental illness, resulting in improved health status. The funds are awarded and administered by SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS).

"People with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders often have elevated rates of multiple chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. All too often these health conditions are made worse by lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, smoking, and by the side effects of psychotropic medications," said Dr. David M. Johnson, Navos Chief Executive Officer. "Many of these health conditions are preventable through routine health promotion activities, primary care screening, monitoring, treatment and care management. Bringing needed healthcare services to patients in a coordinated and convenient way will go a long way in helping to improve health status."

A technical report released by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, reveals that persons with mental illnesses die 25 years younger than the general population, largely due to chronic medical conditions.

The program will be implemented through a new primary care clinic to be located in Navos new Mental Health and Wellness Center (MHWC), currently under construction in Burien.

The new MHWC replaces a facility in Burien, which has been serving people in South King County since the mid 1980's. The current facility is under the third runway at Sea-Tac Airport and has lost its lease, subsequently requiring the construction of the new center in order to prevent a disruption of services to thousands of clients with serious mental illness.

The first floor of the new center is now open for seeing clients. The second and third floors, including the new primary care clinic, are scheduled to be completed and open by July.

Every year, Navos, a private non-profit organization, delivers critical services that dramatically improve the health and quality of life for 6,000 low-income and vulnerable children and adults with serious emotional and persistent mental illness. Through Navos' range of services (including mental health treatment, primary medical care, job training and supportive housing) people with mental illness are helped to reach their greatest potential for self-sufficiency.