Jim Jordan is the executive director of the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. It is the state's largest family-based group that offers support, education and training to improve the lives of the one out of five Pennsylvanians affected by mental illness. Jordan has led the group for four years, and took time to speak with the Post-Gazette in advance of a visit here tomorrow for a conference on suicide.

Q. What is Pennsylvania's biggest challenge regarding mental illness?

A. That is really difficult because there are so many. One of the biggest is helping the public understand mental illness is a biological brain disorder, a disease, and like other diseases, it can be treated.

Other problems include creating access to care and medications; seeking adequate insurance for people with mental illnesses; and finding adequate services and support within communities. One thing I like to tell people is that mental illness is an equal opportunity disorder. It does not respect age, ethnic background, education level, social standing or political affiliation.

Q. What will this conference say about suicide?

A. That it's preventable. We could reduce greatly the numbers of suicides if people were trained to recognize signs a person might be considering it. The other half of the problem is getting treatment for people in need. While every person who commits suicide is not necessarily mentally ill, the majority of people who commit suicide are dealing with a serious, treatable mental illness.

It's interesting to note that there are three successful suicides for every two homicides. However, if you compare homicide and suicide, you have courts, jails, halfway houses to deal with homicides. Comparatively speaking, the problem of suicide receives very little attention.

Q. Why does that happen?

A. I think it's because we're a society that spends a lot of time talking about violence between individuals, while discussion about violence to one's self is more difficult. In addition, stigma affects people's willingness to openly discuss suicide within their families. Quite often, there are feelings of guilt and shame associated with suicide.

It is important to understand that even in situations where a person has argued with a loved one who then commits suicide, that the argument did not drive the person to suicide. Rather, it is mental illness or substance abuse that must be held accountable. People also should understand that talking to a person who is thinking of suicide will not plant a suggestion resulting in a suicide attempt. In fact, it may indicate that someone cares and open an avenue of communication that can lead to treatment and care.

Q. What should or can be done to move people beyond such stigmatizing notions?

A. Education. Increased governmental support for society and its members to access comprehensive care for mental illness. We also feel that it is important to work closely with families, schools, communities churches and synagogues to address this issue. We suggest that families and consumers participate in support groups where available.

Q. Today, there's more discussion about psychosocial rehabilitation. What is it?

A. It's recovery-based treatment. Basically, it's a model that says a person with a mental illness can, with treatment and support, actively be involved in his or her recovery and that recovery should be the goal. Consumers, family and providers should accept that recovery is possible. That means focusing on the development of social skills and job training. It means developing a recovery plan that has as one of its goals enabling a person to live as independently as is possible.

Q. More mental health care providers are being charged with designing therapy that enables patients "to have faith" they can recover. Is this a spiritual concept?

A. It can be. This is my personal belief: The spiritual combined with the physical helps make us human. From a psychological perspective I think that if you don't believe you can have a good life, you're not going to. If the belief that you can recover drives a person, then you have a much better chance of success.

Q. Black Americans are plagued with health problems -- diabetes, heart disease, HIV -- at rates disproportionate to their demographics. Is the same true for mental health rates?

A. I am not sure that the incidence of mental illness is statistically different for minorities. However, I think those statistics apply to treatment and access to adequate care. Access for blacks and Hispanics and Asian Americans is a greater struggle. Some of this can be attributed to provider perceptions, lack of financial resources, location of services and access to care.

Part of the problem may also be attributed to myths and beliefs held within these communities.

The topic of the annual statewide conference of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is In Harm's Way: Suicide and Its Impact on Our Communities. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; and 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Downtown. On Thursday, there will be a special Criminal Justice Symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registration packages range from $50 to $220. To register: visit namipa.nami.org or call 1-800-223-0500.