Mental and Behavioral Health Disorders Rising in the U.S.; New Report Calls for Expanded Preventive Interventions

A new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine warns of a significant rise in mental and behavioral health disorders across the United States and calls for urgent expansion of preventive interventions through coordinated, well-funded infrastructure.

Alarming Trends in National Mental Health

The report — based on a study initiated in 2023 — details a growing mental health crisis with rising suicide rates, increasing alcohol-related deaths, and deepening emotional distress among adolescents. Suicide remains the 11th leading cause of death overall and is now the second or third leading cause for Americans aged 10 to 34. The economic burden of mental illness is estimated at $282 billion annually.

Populations in low-income, rural, and racial and ethnic minority communities remain disproportionately affected. “The costs are unbearably high — measured in lost lives, lost productivity, and shattered families,” said Marcella Alsan, Harvard Kennedy School professor and co-chair of the committee.

Preventive Programs Exist, But Systemic Gaps Persist

The committee emphasized that numerous evidence-based prevention strategies are already available — from school-based socioemotional learning to community-wide behavioral health initiatives. These programs have proven success in improving social and academic outcomes, mental health, and reducing risky behaviors.

However, the infrastructure supporting these programs is fragmented and inconsistently developed. Existing support systems span government agencies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and national associations, but lack coordination, sustainable funding, and standardized evaluation.

Strategic Recommendations to Strengthen Systems

To address the crisis, the report outlines a national framework for prevention across all life stages. Key recommendations include:

Enhanced funding and support from Congress for early-life risk intervention and sustainable financing models.
A centralized clearinghouse managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to guide practitioners in identifying effective programs.
Increased research efforts by the National Institutes of Health and CDC focused on equitable, population-specific interventions co-developed with communities.

“The costs associated with our nation’s mental health and substance use crises are unbearably high, measured in lost and shattered lives of children, parents, siblings, and friends, and in lost workers, human potential, and economic productivity,” said Marcella Alsan, Angelopoulos Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, and co-chair of the committee.

“But the crises individuals and communities face are often preventable. Effective prevention programs are available at every level — from equipping individuals with skills, to strengthening parenting effectiveness, to training teachers and agricultural extension workers,” she said. “We need to build systems and supports to make evidence-based interventions available to all who need them.”

National Academies Lead the Policy Charge

Operating under an 1863 congressional charter, the National Academies continue to provide critical, evidence-based policy guidance. This latest report serves as a foundational blueprint for policymakers and public health agencies aiming to reverse the current mental health trajectory and strengthen community resilience.

“With resources and data, leadership and partnerships, and a number of evidence-based approaches — at the programmatic and policy levels — to draw on, our nation can do better in intervening across different settings and along the life course to promote well-being and prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders,” said committee co-chair Marthe Gold, senior research scholar at the New York Academy of Medicine and the Logan Professor Emerita in the Department of Community Health and Social Medicine at the City University of New York Medical School.