Dear Fellow Health Professionals,

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), birth
defects are present in one of every 33 babies born in the United States, and
approximately 120,000 babies are born each year. Defects of the limbs and
heart are the most common, but some genetic birth defects involve mental
disabilities that range from minor to severe, such as Down's syndrome,
autism, and fragile X syndrome.

January is March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month, and the U.S.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has
joined those who support and provide services to families affected by birth
defects by including this event among its special on-line features this
month. Located on SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center Web
site at http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/highlights/January2003/birth/, the
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month feature provides links to
information and resources that are useful for concerned families, health
professionals, and the general public.

Given your interest in issues about mental illness-prevention, treatment,
and related programs-SAMHSA is making this information available to you,
together with its other special features for January, including:

* The CMHS Program Spotlight - Homeless Programs Branch at
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/highlights/January2003/cmhs/ provides details
about programs and interdepartmental initiatives for homeless persons with
serious mental illnesses.   SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services
(CMHS) serves as the lead agency within the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) for administering programs that address the treatment,
support services, and housing needs of this population.

* National Healthy Weight Week--January 19-25, 2003. Aside from heart
disease and other physical problems associated with obesity, research has
now linked obesity to depression, even among teens.  A Pediatrics journal
report states that adolescents who suffer from depression are more likely
than those without depression to be obese. Visit the National Healthy Weight
Week page at http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/highlights/January2003/weight/
to find out more.

All the featured sites referred to here include links to publications,
related topics, and additional resources, and are being offered free to you
and your audiences.

You may link to this information on your web site, post the content to your
site with a link to the National Mental Health Information Center's Web site
as your source, or use it in whatever way is most convenient for you.

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Farra Trompeter
SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center
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********************************************
The National Mental Health Information Center
(http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/) is a service of SAMHSA, HHS. Call
1-800-789-2647 for bilingual information services; (TDD) 866-889-2647.

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