Mental health treatment in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts

The issue of mental health has gained greater attention in recent years and became especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common forms of mental illness in the United States are depression and anxiety, with women more likely to report mental illness than men. Over the past decade, the number of U.S. adults who have received mental health treatment has consistently increased, reaching almost 42 million in 2021. Despite progress in raising awareness, there are still barriers to accessing treatment, such as affordability and the stigma associated with mental illness. The most common type of mental health treatment among U.S. adults is prescription medication, followed by outpatient and inpatient care.

How many mental health facilities are there in the United States?

Mental health facilities in the United States range in type and may offer different treatments or even separate programs for specific client groups. The number of mental health treatment facilities in the U.S. stood at 12,275 in 2020. Outpatient facilities are the most common type, followed by 24-hour residential facilities. In terms of the treatments offered by U.S. mental health facilities, therapy remains the predominant approach, with individual psychotherapy and trauma therapy the most widely available. Furthermore, U.S. mental health facilities offer treatment programs for specific client groups, with services, for example, tailored for persons with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders.

Reasons why people do not receive mental health care

Although the use of mental health treatment has increased in the United States, there remain significant barriers to access for many people. For example, according to a 2020 survey, the share of U.S. women with a form of mental illness who did not receive treatment was around 50 percent. A lack of treatment is even more common among those with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems. This emphasizes the importance of integrating mental health treatment with substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation in the United States. Not being able to afford care is the most common reason given for not receiving mental health services in the United States, with people also still concerned about mental health treatment causing others to have a negative opinion of them or treatment having a negative impact on their job. Problems regarding access, stigma, and discrimination continue to highlight the fact that there is a long way to go before society fully recognizes the severity of mental disorders.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Number of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year (in millions): 41.7m

Number of mental health treatment facilities in the U.S.: 11647

Percentage of adults that did not seek mental health services because they could not afford the care: 46.4%

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Percentage of U.S. college students that terminated their mental health services due to select reasons according to clinicians during the 2022-2023 academic year

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Reasons for ending mental health services among U.S. college students 2022-2023

Reasons for receiving specialty mental health services among U.S. youths in the past year as of 2021*

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Reasons for receiving specialty mental health services among U.S. youths 2021

Number of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment through prescription medication from 2005 to 2020 (in millions)*

Pharmaceuticals

U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment by prescription medication 2005-2020

Recommended statistics

Treatment utilization among adults

Basic Statistic Mental health treatment or counseling among adults in the U.S. 2002-2022
Mental health treatment or counseling among adults in the U.S. 2002-2022
Number of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year from 2002 to 2022 (in millions)
Basic Statistic Mental health treatment or counseling among U.S. men 2002-2022
Mental health treatment or counseling among U.S. men 2002-2022
Percentage of U.S. men who received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year from 2002 to 2022
Basic Statistic Mental health treatment or counseling among U.S. women 2002-2022
Mental health treatment or counseling among U.S. women 2002-2022
Percentage of U.S. women who received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year from 2002 to 2022
Premium Statistic Mental health service use by U.S. adults 2002-2022, by type of care
Mental health service use by U.S. adults 2002-2022, by type of care
Mental health service use in the past year among U.S. adults from 2002 to 2022, by type of care
Premium Statistic U.S. adults who received mental health treatment through prescription 2005-2020
U.S. adults who received mental health treatment through prescription 2005-2020
Percentage of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment through prescription medication from 2005 to 2020*
Premium Statistic U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment by prescription medication 2005-2020
U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment by prescription medication 2005-2020
Number of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment through prescription medication from 2005 to 2020 (in millions)*
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. adults who had received any mental healthcare in 2020, by age
Share of U.S. adults who had received any mental healthcare in 2020, by age
Percentage of U.S. adults aged 18 years and older who had received any mental health treatment or medication in the past 12 months in 2020, by age
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. adults who had received any mental healthcare in 2020, by race
Share of U.S. adults who had received any mental healthcare in 2020, by race
Percentage of U.S. adults aged 18 years and older who had received any mental health treatment or medication in the past 12 months in 2020, by race
Basic Statistic Receipt of mental health services among U.S. adults by level of illness 2022
Receipt of mental health services among U.S. adults by level of illness 2022
Receipt of mental health services in the past year among U.S. adults in 2022, by level of mental illness
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment by insurance status 2022
Share of U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment by insurance status 2022
Percentage of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment in 2022, by health insurance status
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment by poverty status 2022
Share of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment by poverty status 2022
Percentage of adults in the United States who received mental health treatment in 2022, by poverty status*

Treatment utilization among children and adolescents

Basic Statistic Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment from 2013 to 2019
Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment from 2013 to 2019
Percentage of children and adolescents in the U.S. who received any mental health treatment or service from 2013 to 2019
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-2019, by gender
Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-2019, by gender
Percentage of children and adolescents in the U.S. who received any mental health treatment or services from 2013 to 2019, by gender
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-2019, by age
Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-2019, by age
Percentage of children and adolescents in the U.S. who received any mental health treatment or services from 2013 to 2019, by age
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-19, by race
Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-19, by race
Percentage of children and adolescents in the U.S. who received any mental health treatment or services from 2013 to 2019, by race/ethnicity
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-19, by income
Share of U.S. children who received any mental health treatment 2013-19, by income
Percentage of children and adolescents in the U.S. who received any mental health treatment or services from 2013 to 2019, by household income
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. children who received mental health treatment in the past year, 2021
Share of U.S. children who received mental health treatment in the past year, 2021
Percentage of U.S. children aged 3 to 17 years who received any treatment or counseling from a mental health professional in the past 12 months as of 2021, by state

Facilities

Premium Statistic Mental health facilities in the U.S. 2022, by operation type
Mental health facilities in the U.S. 2022, by operation type
Number of mental health facilities in the U.S. in 2022, by operation type
Basic Statistic Mental health treatment facilities by setting of services in the U.S. 2022
Mental health treatment facilities by setting of services in the U.S. 2022
Number of mental health treatment facilities in the U.S. in 2022, by service setting
Basic Statistic Share of mental health facilities by licensing/certification/accreditation 2020
Share of mental health facilities by licensing/certification/accreditation 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health facilities by licensing, certification, or accreditation in 2020
Basic Statistic Mental health treatment facilities treating specific age groups U.S. 2020
Mental health treatment facilities treating specific age groups U.S. 2020
Percentage of mental health treatment facilities accepting specific age groups for treatment in the U.S. in 2020
Basic Statistic Mental health treatment facilities accepting all age clients for treatment U.S. 2020
Mental health treatment facilities accepting all age clients for treatment U.S. 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health treatment facilities accepting clients of all ages for treatment in 2020, by region
Premium Statistic Mental health treatment facilities accepting Medicare U.S. 2020, by region
Mental health treatment facilities accepting Medicare U.S. 2020, by region
Percentage of U.S. mental health treatment facilities accepting Medicare in 2020, by region
Basic Statistic Psychiatric hospitals number by type of operation in the U.S. 2020
Psychiatric hospitals number by type of operation in the U.S. 2020
Number of psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. in 2020, by operation type*

Services offered by facilities

Basic Statistic Percent of mental health facilities offering specific treatment approaches U.S. 2020
Percent of mental health facilities offering specific treatment approaches U.S. 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health facilities offering specific treatment approaches in 2020
Premium Statistic Share of mental health facilities offering specific services and practices U.S. 2020
Share of mental health facilities offering specific services and practices U.S. 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health facilities offering specific services and practices in 2020
Basic Statistic Mental health facilities offering programs for specific client groups U.S. 2022
Mental health facilities offering programs for specific client groups U.S. 2022
Percentage of U.S. mental health facilities offering treatment programs for specific client groups in 2022
Basic Statistic Mental health facilities with walk-in emergency services in U.S. regions 2020
Mental health facilities with walk-in emergency services in U.S. regions 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health treatment facilities offering psychiatric emergency walk-in services in 2020, by region
Premium Statistic Mental health facilities with programs for stress disorder victims US 2020, by region
Mental health facilities with programs for stress disorder victims US 2020, by region
Percentage of U.S. mental health facilities offering special treatment programs for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2020, by region
Premium Statistic Share of mental health facilities with treatment for hearing impaired U.S. 2020
Share of mental health facilities with treatment for hearing impaired U.S. 2020
Percentage of U.S. mental health treatment facilities offering treatment services for the hearing impaired in 2020, by region

Untreated mental illness

Premium Statistic Reasons for not receiving mental health services among U.S. adults 2022
Reasons for not receiving mental health services among U.S. adults 2022
Reasons for not receiving mental health services among U.S. adults in 2022*
Premium Statistic Reasons for ending mental health services among U.S. college students 2022-2023
Reasons for ending mental health services among U.S. college students 2022-2023
Percentage of U.S. college students that terminated their mental health services due to select reasons according to clinicians during the 2022-2023 academic year
Basic Statistic Treatment gap among U.S. women with substance use and mental disorders in 2022
Treatment gap among U.S. women with substance use and mental disorders in 2022
Percentage of U.S. women who did not receive treatment for select substance use and mental disorders in the past year as of 2022
Basic Statistic African Americans with no treatment for mental and substance use disorders U.S. 2021
African Americans with no treatment for mental and substance use disorders U.S. 2021
Percentage of African Americans with substance use disorder or mental illness who did not receive treatment in the past year in 2021
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. Hispanics with mental illness who didn't receive treatment as of 2021
Share of U.S. Hispanics with mental illness who didn't receive treatment as of 2021
Percentage of Hispanics in the U.S. with mental illness and substance use disorder who did not receive treatment in the past year in 2021
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. LGB adults with untreated substance use or mental health disorders 2022
Share of U.S. LGB adults with untreated substance use or mental health disorders 2022
Percentage of U.S. lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults with substance abuse or mental illness problems who reported no treatment in the past year as of 2022*
Basic Statistic Treatment gap for mental health and substance use disorder among veterans U.S. 2021
Treatment gap for mental health and substance use disorder among veterans U.S. 2021
Percentage of U.S. veterans who did not receive treatment for mental illness or substance use disorder in the past year as of 2021

Miscellaneous

Basic Statistic Health center behavioral health staff distribution by type U.S. 2020
Health center behavioral health staff distribution by type U.S. 2020
Percentage of U.S. health center behavioral health staff by type as of 2020
Premium Statistic Number of U.S. adults with major depressive episode who received treatment 2022
Number of U.S. adults with major depressive episode who received treatment 2022
Number of U.S. adults with a major depressive episode who received treatment in 2022, by type of professional (in 1,000s)*
Premium Statistic Type of professional seen among U.S. adults with a major depressive episode 2022
Type of professional seen among U.S. adults with a major depressive episode 2022
Type of professional seen by U.S. adults with a major depressive episode who received treatment in 2022*
Premium Statistic Reasons for receiving specialty mental health services among U.S. youths 2021
Reasons for receiving specialty mental health services among U.S. youths 2021
Reasons for receiving specialty mental health services among U.S. youths in the past year as of 2021*
Basic Statistic Treatment received by U.S. youths with major depressive episode by gender 2022
Treatment received by U.S. youths with major depressive episode by gender 2022
Type of treatment received by U.S. youths with a major depressive episode in the past year in 2022, by gender
Premium Statistic Resources for seeking care for veterans with a mental health injury U.S. 2021
Resources for seeking care for veterans with a mental health injury U.S. 2021
Leading resources for seeking care for veterans with a service-connected mental health injury in 2021

Report on the topic

Go to report

Top Seller

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Mental health treatment in the U.S." and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.