14.0%
of U.S. adults received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the previous 12 months.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2024Reference page
Mental health care statistics in the United States
A concise collection of recent, sourced data on counseling, treatment, and access to care. Updated October 5, 2026.
These figures offer context for conversations about mental health care in the United States. They are national estimates, not a measure of any individual’s needs or experience.
Each statistic links to its original public source. Definitions and survey methods differ between sources, so figures should be read in the context provided with each citation.
Recent national data
Five figures worth keeping in view.
19.3%
of U.S. adults took prescription medication for their mental health in the previous 12 months.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 202423.9%
of U.S. adults received some form of mental health treatment in 2023, up from 19.2% in 2019.
Source: CDC, National Health Interview Survey, 2019–202358.7M
U.S. adults had any mental illness in 2023. Of that group, 53.9% received mental health treatment in the past year.
Source: SAMHSA, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2023148.6M
people lived in a Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Area as of March 31, 2026.
Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, 2026Method and sources
How to read this page.
This page brings together public figures from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The figures are updated when a primary source releases a newer relevant estimate.
The counseling and medication figures are not mutually exclusive. “Any mental illness” and “mental health treatment” follow the definitions used in the cited National Survey on Drug Use and Health. A shortage-area designation describes access to providers in an area or population group, not the quality of care an individual receives.
Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.
Citing this page
A stable reference for your work.
Suggested citation: Cynthia Luft, LMHC & Jungian Analyst. “Mental Health Care Statistics in the United States.” Updated October 5, 2026. Accessed [date].
For individual statistics, please cite the linked public source alongside this page. It gives readers the clearest route back to the original methodology and full context.
Read about Cynthia’s approach