Nearly a third of teenagers in the United States will receive treatment for their mental health by 2023, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
SAMSHA National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2023, published on Tuesday, found that 31.9 percent of people aged 12 to 17 have undergone mental health treatment, which equates to around 8.3 million people. This represents an increase from the 7.7 million, or 29.8 percent, of teens who received mental health treatment the previous year, according to the 2022 Report.
Outpatient treatment was the most common type, including settings such as a school counselor or therapist’s office, with 59.8% of those receiving mental health treatment — or 2.7 million — selecting this option, according to the report.
About 14.2 percent said they received telehealth treatment, 13.9 percent said they were prescribed medication and 3.5 percent said they were hospitalized, according to the report.
The biggest jump in treatment type was seen for those using medication for mental health treatment, increasing from 12.8% in 2021 to 13.9% last year. researchers observed. The agency said this was not a statistically significant difference.
Studies conducted last year painted a grim picture of the mental health of young people in America. AKFF Analysis ofData from the US Census Bureau published last March revealed that half of people between the ages of 18 and 24 would report symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2023.
The number of adults receiving mental health treatment also increased from 21.8 percent, or 55.8 million people, in 2022 to 23 percent — 59.2 million — last year.
Agency leaders said Tuesday were “pleased” to see the number of people seeking mental health treatment increase in 2023 compared to the previous year
“We think it’s good for more people to have access and connect to mental health treatment. That’s certainly been a focus of the Biden Harris administration to make treatment more accessible, to help people know what treatment, services and support are available.” Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam Delphin-Rittmon told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday: CBS News reported.
The Biden administration has invested millions to increase accessibility to mental health counseling services. Earlier this year, the administration gave $285 million to help schools hire and train more than 14,000 mental health counselors.
While improvements were seen in those receiving help, Delphin-Rittmon told reporters that the report still “shows us that we must remain steadfast in our efforts to address the mental health and substance use crises,” according to CBS.
SAMHSA Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health It was conducted using face-to-face and web-based interviews with people aged 12 and over.
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