Improving Mental Health in America

03/03/2015

In 2013, approximately one in five adults had experienced a mental illness in the past year. Approximately 4 percent of adults had what is considered to be a serious mental illness (SMI) in the past year — and 4 percent of all adults said that they had serious thoughts of suicide in the last year.[i] The good news is that among the 10 million adults with SMI, nearly 70 percent had received mental health services in the past year. These statistics come from SAMHSA’s Substance Use and Mental Health Estimates from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Overview of Findings (NSDUH), released last November.

The findings point to the need for widely available and accessible treatment and recovery services for people with mental and/or substance use disorders.

The survey also found that almost 11 percent of youth between ages 12 and 17 had experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, but only 38 percent of these youths had received treatment or counseling for depression in the past year. Of the more than fifteen million adults who had experienced a major depressive episode over the past year, more than 30 percent had not talked to a health care provider or other professional in a related area.[ii] The NSDUH report provides national and state-level data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs (including non-medical use of prescription drugs) and mental health in the United States. It focuses on the percentage of individuals with behavioral health problems in the United States, as well as the percentage receiving treatment or counseling.

Addressing the Need

SAMHSA is addressing the need for mental health services through its 2015-2018 strategic initiatives — the agency’s plan for leading change to better meet the behavioral health care needs of individuals, communities, and service providers. SAMHSA’s Community Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) is one of several agency efforts to improve public mental health service systems. The grants, which are distributed and managed by state governments, help states provide comprehensive, community-based mental health services to adults with SMIs and to children with serious emotional disturbances.[iii]

In an effort to further promote early intervention, the 2014 SAMHSA MHBG further requires each state to set aside five percent of grant funding for “evidence-based programs that address the needs of individuals with early serious mental illness, including psychotic disorders.”[iv] By dedicating specific funding to the treatment of individuals diagnosed with SMI, SAMHSA is trying to ensure that those in need of services receive interventions early in their illness through evidence-based services that support their recovery.[v]

Other Supports

Resources to help parents, teachers, and caregivers recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and locate mental health services are available from MentalHealth.gov and fromSAMHSA’s Treatment Locator. The latter also includes information on locating substance use treatment. Resources and information on the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health issues and substance use disorders is also available on SAMHSA’sRecovery Month Web site.

[i] http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-SR200-RecoveryMonth-2014/NSDUH-SR200-RecoveryMonth-2014.htm
[ii] http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/spot133-major-depressive-episode-2014.pdf
[iii] http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/block-grants
[iv] http://blog.samhsa.gov/2014/06/16/samhsa-and-nimh-partner-to-support-early-intervention-for-serious-mental-illness/#.VJHr9XvsShR
[v] http://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/mhbg-5-percent-set-aside-guidance.pdf