According to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors in 2005, almost 6 million people are served by the public mental health system each year.
	Compared to people without Serious Mental Illness, public health care recipients with SMI:
	die in greater numbers each year (1-3.5% vs. 0.5-0.8%)
	die 10 to 30 years earlier than expected
	and
	experience higher rates of somatic (non-mental) disease