Reference page · Updated October 27, 2026
U.S. mental health care statistics: 2025 snapshot
Current national data on mental illness, treatment, and access. Built as a straightforward reference for writers, community organizations, and anyone looking for reliable context.
See sources and methodology ↓A careful note about these numbers
Statistics can clarify the scope. They cannot tell someone’s whole story.
Every number below comes from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population. The statistics describe adults age 18 and older, and the survey’s definition of mental health treatment includes counseling, medication, telehealth, and certain inpatient or outpatient settings.
These figures are a national snapshot, not a measure of any one person’s need for care or of the quality of care they receive.
Key statistics
Six citable facts about adult mental health care in the U.S.
54.6 million
U.S. adults had any mental illness in the past year.
That represents 20.6% of adults age 18 and older in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
18.2 million
U.S. adults had serious mental illness in the past year.
That represents 6.9% of adults age 18 and older in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
57.3 million
U.S. adults received mental health treatment in the past year.
That represents 21.6% of adults age 18 and older in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
32.6 million
U.S. adults received mental health treatment through telehealth in the past year.
That represents 12.3% of adults age 18 and older in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
50.9%
of adults with any mental illness received mental health treatment in the past year.
That is 27.8 million of the 54.6 million adults with any mental illness in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
26.9 million
adults with any mental illness did not receive mental health treatment in the past year.
That is 49.1% of adults with any mental illness in 2025. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH
What the data shows
Access is part of the picture.
In 2025, about half of adults with any mental illness received mental health treatment, while nearly half did not. Among adults who perceived an unmet need for treatment, the most commonly reported reason for not receiving it was believing they should have been able to handle their mental health, emotions, or behavior on their own, reported by 72.9%.
Cost, time, readiness, and not knowing where to begin were also commonly reported barriers. These findings point to the importance of care that feels approachable, clear, and responsive to people’s lived realities.
Sources and methodology
Where these statistics come from
All statistics on this page are drawn from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health annual national report, released in July 2026. The survey is conducted annually and provides national estimates for the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population age 12 and older. This page uses the report’s adult estimates only.
For careful use, cite the survey year with each statistic. The 2025 report notes that changes to questions about inpatient and outpatient treatment affect comparisons across years, so this page does not frame the figures as a simple trend line.
Cite this page
Be Rooted Therapy. (2026, October 27). U.S. mental health care statistics: 2025 snapshot. Retrieved from https://brootedtherapy.com/resources/mental-health-statistics
Support can be personal
Data offers context. Care makes room for your lived experience.
Be Rooted Therapy offers virtual care for individuals, couples, and families in Washington and Texas.
Start a consultation