NAMI Encourages DSM-5 Discussion

Posted on February 12, 2010

Arlington, VA— The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) urges individuals and families to familiarize themselves with the draft of the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which is used by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to classify and diagnose mental disorders in children and adults.

The DSM historically has had a very significant impact on the treatment of mental illnesses and on the payment of mental health treatment and related services. A committee created by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has been working on a DSM revision to reflect current scientific understanding about mental disorders.

Earlier this week, the APA posted the draft of the revised DSM, known as the DSM-5. The draft DSM-5 can be found at www.DSM5.org.

For the next two months, the APA is seeking input from individuals, family members, clinicians and others about the proposed changes contained in the DSM-5. The deadline for submitting these comments is April 20, 2010. NAMI encourages the public to visit the DSM-5 Web site to understand the proposed changes and submit comments as appropriate.

About NAMI

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI has over 1100 state and local affiliates that engage in research, education, support and advocacy.

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