Millersville, MD – Partnership Development Group (PDG) is has announced an exciting new partnership with Johns Hopkins University as part of the DECIPHeR program: Disparities Elimination through Coordinated Interventions to Prevent and Control Heart and Lung Disease Risk. This groundbreaking initiative focuses on understanding and addressing the biological and behavioral factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease in individuals living with mental illness.

A New Chapter in Collaborative Research

Through this collaboration, PDG will support Johns Hopkins and the DECIPHeR team by helping to collect meaningful data through surveys and research activities with the individuals we serve. Our goal is to help generate real world insights that will guide effective interventions for one of the most pressing health challenges facing people with serious mental illness: cardiovascular disease.

The Overlooked Link: Mental Illness and Heart Disease

While many people are aware of the effects of mental illness on emotional and cognitive well-being, fewer realize that mental illness significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In fact, individuals with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression are two to three times more likely to die from heart disease than the general population.

The reasons for this are complex and multifactorial:

• Biological factors related to chronic stress, inflammation, and neurochemical imbalances.
• Behavioral factors such as smoking, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and limited access to preventive healthcare.
• Medication side effects, especially from certain antipsychotics, that can raise cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight.
• Systemic barriers that prevent individuals with mental illness from receiving consistent coordinated physical healthcare.

Why This Research Matters

Reducing cardiovascular disease in populations with mental illness is not just a public health priority; it’s a matter of health equity. People with mental illness deserve the same opportunity to live long, healthy lives as anyone else. Unfortunately, life expectancy for this population is significantly lower, often due to preventable conditions like heart disease.

The DECIPHeR program seeks to change that by investigating how complex biological information, combined with real-world data, can be used to develop tailored strategies that reduce risk and improve outcomes.

PDG’s Role in the Study

PDG brings decades of experience working with individuals who face mental health challenges, often alongside socioeconomic hardship and chronic medical conditions. By participating in data collection efforts like surveys and ongoing feedback, we will ensure that the voices and experiences of the people we serve are front and center in this critical research.

We are deeply honored to work alongside the researchers at Johns Hopkins and the broader DECIPHeR network to help close the health disparity gap for people with mental illness.

Looking Ahead

This partnership is more than a research opportunity: it’s a chance to drive meaningful change. We believe that the insights gained from this collaboration will inform smarter policies, more effective treatments, and better health outcomes for the communities we serve.

Stay tuned as we share updates, insights, and outcomes from our involvement in the DECIPHeR program. Together, we are taking important steps toward a future where mental health and physical health are addressed hand in hand.

About PDG:

For 20 years, PDG has provided behavioral and vocational services to individuals living with mental illness throughout Central Maryland. PDG’s vocational coaching, mental health care management, advocacy, community reintegration, and resource development enable consumers to achieve personal productivity, independence, and community involvement.

Contact: Sondra Tranen
[email protected]

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