Mental Health Awareness Month Campaign: Individual and Community Fast Facts

May 20, 2021

As a continued part of the MEND Program’s campaign to promote Mental Health Awareness Month, we would like to present some important mental health “fast facts,” courtesy of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (“NAMI”). Please use these to encourage discussion with your community, whether through social media or other forms of outreach. 

 *Individual and Community Impact Fast Facts

• 20.6% of U.S. adults (51.5 million people) experienced mental illness in 2019, but only 43.8% of them received treatment. 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but less than half get treatment.
• 5.2% of U.S. adults (13.1 million people) experienced serious mental illness in 2019, but only 65.5% of them received treatment. 1 in 20 U.S. adults experiences a serious mental illness each year, but less than two-thirds get treatment.
• 16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6–17 (7.7 million people) experienced a mental health disorder in 2016, but only 50.6% of them received treatment. 1 in 6 U.S. youth experience a mental health condition each year, but only half get treatment.
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10–34.
• 3.8% of U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2019 (9.5 million people).
• Mental illness and substance use disorders are involved in 1 out of every 8 emergency department visits by a U.S. adult (estimated 12 million visits).
• 20.5% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition.
• 37% of adults incarcerated in the state and federal prison system have a diagnosed mental illness.
• 70.4% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosed mental illness.
• 41% of Veteran’s Health Administration patients have a diagnosed mental illness or substance use disorder.

*Statistics provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (“NAMI”) website at www.nami.org/mhstats.

For assistance with referrals and resources, contact the MEND Program at (212) 366-7590 or MEND@NYCCBF.org.

If you are thinking of hurting yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.