Primary Care Clinic at Skyland Trail
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, people with mental illness have a 20 percent shorter life-expectancy than the general population. They are vulnerable to physical illnesses such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and lung disease. 
Primary care clinic, one of first in nation, is supported by Foundation fundsYet, historically, psychiatrists and primary care physicians have rarely coordinated their treatment efforts. A community-based nonprofit organization for adults with serious mental illness, Skyland Trail opened a part-time clinic in 2006. In 2008, with support from the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation, Skyland Trail launched a new model of care, becoming one of the nation’s first mental health treatment facilities with an on-site, full-time primary care clinic. The clinic provides and coordinates primary care and mental health treatment in one accessible location. Wellness programs address smoking cessation, healthy eating, exercise, diabetes prevention, and high risk behaviors. Known for innovation and individualized care, Skyland Trail’s program serves as a model of care for mental health patients everywhere.