May 7, 2024 - Trends

Americans Say Mental Healthcare is Failing

Access remains a problem.

Mental Healthcare

Americans feel left in the dark.

The latest: A Gallup survey shows the majority believe mental health problems are spreading, but treatment isn’t.

57% grade the US mental healthcare system a D or F.
38% say mental health is treated worse than physical.

When it’s accessible, most think therapy beats prescriptions — but over half cite affordability as a barrier, while 42% say finding a provider is hard.

Headway. From 2019–22, the number of adults seeking mental health services spiked ~40%. But, as more seek therapy for relatively minor afflictions, demand is outpacing supply.

Scaling up, companies are hoping to reach those most in need.

Specializing in serious mental illness, hybrid providers Lightfully and Amae both secured funding this year.
Expanding teletherapy to Medicare/Medicaid patients, Brightside raised $33M in March, and Grow Therapy added $88M in April.
Increasing in-network specialty care options, Talkspace announced new partnerships with Charlie Health, Ria Health, and Bicycle Health.
Leveraging tech for better therapist matches, Two Chairs raised $72M last month.

Working toward a full-spectrum solution, Headspace added chat-based mental health coaching to its meditation app, with plans for DTC therapy later this year.

Punchline: Americans are more in tune with their mental state than ever. A double-edged sword, greater self-awareness is dissolving stigma, but mild anxieties are being pathologized — fueling outsized demand for treatment.

Jasmina Breen

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