Prevalence and Treatment Rates
- 7.7 million ~ Approximate number of U.S. adults with severe mental illness (3.3% of the population)*
- 3.5 million ~ Approximate number of U.S. adults with untreated severe mental illness in any given year (1.5% of the population)*
- 5.1 million ~ Approximate number of U.S. adults with severe bipolar disorder (2.2% of the population)*
- 40%* ~ Percentage of those with severe bipolar untreated in any given year
- 2.6 million ~ Approximate number of U.S. adults with schizophrenia (1.1% of the population)*
- 51%* ~ Percentage of those with schizophrenia untreated in any given year
Consequences of non-Treatment
- 216,000 ~ Approximate number of homeless U.S. adults with untreated severe mental illness
- 400,000 ~ Approximate number of U.S. adults with untreated mental illness in jails or prisons
- 13,000 ~ Approximate number of suicides committed each year under the influence of schizophrenic, manic or depressive symptoms
- 10% ~ Approximate percentage of homicides committed each year by U.S. adults with severe mental illness (approximately 1,400/year at 2012 homicide rates)
- 50% ~ Approximate percentage of mass killings committed by individuals with untreated severe mental illness
* National Institute of Mental Health, 2010
Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)
Number of states with assisted outpatient treatment laws: 44
Sample of results:
New York Kendra Law's study showed that for participants in assisted outpatient treatment:
- 77 percent fewer experienced hospitalizations compared to before participation
- 74 percent fewer experienced homelessness compared to before participation
- 83 percent fewer experienced arrests compared to before participation
- 88 percent fewer experienced incarceration compared to before participation
New York consumer responses to assisted outpatient treatment:
- 75 percent said helped to gain control over their lives
- 81 percent said helped them to get well and stay well
- 90 percent said made them more likely to keep appointments and to take medication
