Mortality of mental health service recipients in Vermont and Oklahoma.

The authors compared statewide mortality rates for people with severe mental illness who were served in public mental health systems of care in Vermont and Oklahoma. In both states, mortality rates for younger service recipients, but not for older recipients, were significantly higher than those for the general population. In interpreting cross-region comparisons, several possible causes of variation, including differences in caseload composition and causes outside the control of the public mental health authority, must be considered.