April 2016

Overview

Mental health is essential to a person's well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and ability to live a full and productive life. People, including children and adolescents, with untreated mental health disorders are at high risk for many unhealthy and unsafe behaviors, including alcohol or drug abuse, violent or self-destructive behavior, and suicide.¹

The burden of mental illness in the United States is among the highest of all diseases, and mental health disorders are among the most common causes of disability. The most recent national data suggest that, in 2014, an estimated 43.6 million (18.1%) adults aged 18 years and over had experienced some form of mental illness, and an estimated 9.8 million (4.2%) adults had a serious mental illness.²

Fortunately, a number of mental health disorders can be treated effectively, and prevention of mental health disorders is a growing area of research and practice. Early diagnosis and treatment can decrease the disease burden of mental health disorders as well as associated chronic diseases. Assessing and addressing mental health remains important to ensure that all Americans lead longer, healthier lives.¹

Learn More About Mental Health

Mental Health and the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides one of the largest expansions of mental health coverage in a generation. ACA ensures that most health plans offer a comprehensive package of items and services, known as essential health benefits, including mental health and substance use disorder services. Also required are rehabilitative and habilitative services that can help support people with behavioral health challenges. These new protections build on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 provisions to expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and federal parity protections to an estimated 62 million Americans. Because of the law, most health plans must now cover preventive services, like depression screening for adults and behavioral assessments for children, at no additional cost. And, as of 2014, health insurance issuers cannot deny coverage or charge more due to pre-existing health conditions, including mental illnesses. To learn more about mental health and the Affordable Care Act, please visit healthcare.gov.

Leading Health Indicators

Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) are critical health issues that—if tackled appropriately—will dramatically reduce the leading causes of death and preventable illnesses. The Mental Health LHIs are:

• Suicides
• Adolescents who experience major depressive episodes

Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

The suicide rate increased 18.2% between 2004 and 2014, from 11.0 to 13.0 per 100,000 population (age adjusted). In 2014, several population groups in specific demographic categories had the lowest suicide rate, including the black non-Hispanic population and females.

In 2013, 10.7% of adolescents aged 12–17 years had a major depressive episode (MDE) in the past 12 months. Several population groups in specific demographic categories had the lowest rate of an MDE in the past 12 months, including the American Indian or Alaska Native population, males, and persons aged 12–13 years.

Who’s Leading the Leading Health Indicators?

The Zero Suicide in Texas Program helped more than 1,200 youth receive mental health services

To address suicide and suicide prevention in Texas, in October 2013, the Texas Department of State Health Services launched the Zero Suicide in Texas Program (ZEST) via a 3-year cooperative agreement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. ZEST strives to implement suicide prevention activities at the organizational, local, and state levels in an effort to reduce deaths by suicide and suicide attempts among youth in Texas. Between October 2013 and March 2016 at the Denton County MHMR pilot site for ZEST, of the 1,425 adolescents or young adults (aged 10–24 years) screened for suicide risk, 95.6% (n=1,362) were referred for mental health or other services, and 94.5% (n=1,287) received management mental health services.

Read the Full Story

Leading Health Indicator Infographic

¹ https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-lhi-topics/Mental-Health

² Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2015). Behavioral health trends in the United States: Results from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. SMA 15-4927, NSDUH Series H-50). Retrieved from: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/

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