Over 61 million U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2024 (latest data available), with persistently high rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, gun violence, and drug overdose deaths. While the COVID-19 pandemic intensified existing mental health and substance use crises, access barriers remain significant—43% of insured adults with fair or poor mental health reported unmet needs in the past year, with older Americans facing many obstacles to access care.
Behavioral Health Policy Trends for 2026: What It Means for Older Adults
Older Americans with mental health conditions face extraordinary policy turbulence characterized by substantial federal budget cuts, fundamental restructuring of key agencies, and widening state-by-state differences
NCMHA
February 10, 2026