On June 7, 1999, I was invited to participate in the first ever White House Conference on Mental Health. The conference, titled "Working For A Healthier America," was chaired by Tipper Gore, wife of the Vice President. Since she experiences clinical depression herself, Tipper Gore champions increased public awareness, understanding, and treatment of mental illnesses that affect the lives of one out of every six Americans.

The day was exhilarating, so filled with promise. More than two hundred of us representing business, advocacy groups, leaders in mental health research, community mental health organizations, elected officials, governmental agencies and insurers came together and explored many issues which face children, adults and families who must deal daily - no, hourly - with mental illness. We left the conference with renewed courage to forge ahead in our work, buoyed by the promise of increased federal focus on mental health.

Historically, federal programs and legislation have failed to address individual needs. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy promised federal subsidies for mental health services in every community. Subsequently, scores of community mental health centers were founded. Sadly though, the main result of the Kennedy-era initiatives was to institutionalize those who were judged to be mentally ill. During the 1970s, Compeer came into being to serve patients at Rochester Psychiatric Center who were being deinstitutionalized without access to adequate community support. Compeer volunteers provided that continuity of care by serving as a vital link to the community. In the early 1980s, advocates of civil rights succeeded in liberating many who had been involuntarily committed. They were dumped, literally, on the street. Law enforcement agencies were forced into a role they did not seek and a role for which they were not prepared.

The national experience in addressing mental health through new public policy and massive federal programs has been modest. The reasons for its limited success can be found in the sheer complexity of mental illness. Each individual case contains social and psychological, as well as physical dimensions. Efficient delivery of medical care lumps patients into convenient categories. Yet, commonalities among people suffering from schizophrenia, which affects 2 million Americans, are much rarer than among those who are afflicted by heart disease or diabetes.

Success of federal and state programs has been limited because governmental aid relies on aggregating services to provide the greatest assistance to the greatest number of people at the least possible cost. Massive programs do not work as well as they might because they fail to recognize one basic fact: Mental illness is a disease of the individual.

A successful initiative to address mental illness requires much more than the efforts of the collective village. It also takes a friend. I know, firsthand, that friendship works. For 26 years, Compeer has been organizing, training and supporting volunteers who serve as adjuncts to professionals providing therapy for children and adults diagnosed with mental illness. Volunteers act as role models, mentors and advocates. Volunteers are matched with an individual and they give assistance in budgeting, nutrition, housing, personal goal setting, and obtaining the most appropriate treatments. They become good friends, and the results are wonderful.

According to a recent survey of 5,000 recipients of the Compeer services in 30 states, 58 percent reported a reduction in psychiatric hospitalization and 54 percent reported an increase in compliance with treatment plans. More than three out of four reported that their feelings of loneliness and isolation - key components of mental illness - had decreased. It has been very rewarding to see people leading more productive and healthier lives, as they try to reach their maximum level of functioning. We’ve seen lives turned around.

Our experience has shown us one thing. Vast public mental health programs are destined for modest success unless they include the best medicine in the world: the care and guidance of a good friend. By adding a "supportive friend" component to public policy initiatives, we will have our best opportunity yet to treat the mental illnesses that affects 40 million of us and help reduce the stigma.

To date, Compeer Programs are in 120 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Currently there are 26 Compeer Programs throughout New York State. For further information on Compeer, call (800) 836-0475.