Mental Illness: Cost Is Major Barrier to Treatment in the U.S.

October 10 marks World Mental Health Day, with the theme in 2023 being 'mental health is a universal human right'. As described by the WHO, this means: "Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.

In the United States though, for example, a Mental Health America study indicates that this is still far from the case. There, 42% of adults with a mental illness whose treatment needs went unmet in 2022 said that this occurred because they simply couldn't afford it. Also of concern, 27% said they didn't know where to go to get the support services they needed and 17 percent said that, despite having health insurance, it didn't cover enough of the costs.