Mental Health Statistics
Mental illness is a reality facing millions of Americans as demonstrated by the following:
- An estimated 26% of Americans, ages 18 and older, about 1 in 4 adults, suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
- 61.5 million Americans experience a mental illness in a given year.
- Approximately 20% of state prisoners and 21% of local jail prisoners have “a recent history” of a mental health condition.
- 324 of 1265 (25%) police shootings in 2015 involved a mentally disturbed subject.
- More than 50% of the 20.2 million adults in the U.S. who experience a substance use disorder have a co-occurring mental illness.
- Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year.
- More than 90% of children who die by suicide have a mental health condition.
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for persons aged 15-34.
- Mental illness typically strikes young people in their most productive years, 16-25.
- 48% of Americans will have a diagnosable psychiatric illness in the course of their lifetime. 75% of those illnesses will begin before the end of adolescence and 50% will start before the age of 16.
- 53% of children ages 3-17 have one or more emotional, behavioral, or developmental condition.
- 35-40% of children are likely to screen positive for behavioral/mental health concerns.
- 70% of the population in the juvenile justice system has mental health problems.
- 50% of Chicago’s inner-city adolescents demonstrated signs and symptoms of depression.
- 34% of Chicago adolescents suffered signs of depression for two or more consecutive weeks, which prevented them from doing usual activities.
- Illinois ranks 3rd in the nation when it comes to states with the highest dollar amounts cut from mental health programs.
