population development and the changing range of illnesses among the population is a priority for mental health and addiction as it is for diabetes or copd in line with the expectations of the coordination reform municipalities are to take primary responsibility for prevention and early intervention in the course of a disease norwegian ministry of health and care services prevention was also included as part of the services that municipalities were expected to deliver in the escalation plan when looking to address mental health municipalities are in some respects wellplaced to lead prevention efforts given their responsibility for public health kindergarten and preschools education up until age for social services and community services which are key loci for prevention and early intervention programmes