The Florida Coalition for Optimal Mental Health and Aging has been established in response to concerns about the adequacy of current mental health policy and services for older adults. Older adults suffer from the same mental health and substance abuse problems as younger adults. They have high rates of depression and anxiety, and the highest suicide rate of all age groups. Despite this, there are few mental health programs available specifically designed to serve the older population. Even when programs are available in the community older people are less likely to take advantage of the provided services. In addition, older people who reside in assisted living centers and nursing homes often do not receive adequate or appropriate mental health and substance abuse services.

Problems facing the mental health and aging service systems range from no public funding for community services for older people, poorly trained front-line care providers, an inadequate number of trained and skilled clinical gerontological professionals, unrecognized special needs of older people, to a lack of monitoring of existing facilities. In addition, as reported in Mental Health and Older Floridians*, Florida has a lack or absence of leadership, advocacy and state policy regarding the mental health needs and care of older Floridians.

In early 1998, as a response to the Task Force Report, and a growing awareness of the problems in the mental health and aging area, the Florida Coalition was established. It is a broad-based, state-wide coalition with approximately 200 members joining in its first year. The Coalition members are interested service providers, policy makers, government and private agencies, researchers, advocates and consumers. The purpose of the Florida Coalition is to improve the availability, effectiveness and quality of mental health services for Florida's older citizens.

* Florida Elder Mental Health Task Force, 1997, 32 pages.