Mental Health

Mental illness is one of the major health issues facing every community. It is the leading cause of disability in North America and Europe, and costs the United States more than a trillion dollars per year in treatment and other expenses. Approximately 20% of Americans adults (about 45 million people) have diagnosable mental disorders during a given year, and about 5% of adults in the United States have serious mental illness, that is, illness that interferes with some aspect of social functioning. Only 38% of those diagnosed with a mental disorder receive treatment. Some of these people require only minimal counseling, followed by regular attendance at supportive self-help group meetings to remain in recovery, while others suffer repeated episodes of disabling mental illness. These individuals have conditions for which they require more frequent medical treatment and more significant community support.