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The United States has always had a prominent mental health care system in place. From therapy to medications, detection and prevention, awareness has always been evident. Recently the mental health care that our country faces has been under much discussion. With events such as mass shootings, we are presented with questions such as: is what we’re doing enough? Or how can we improve?
Let’s take a closer look into the how the U.S. deals with mental health illnesses…
Spending
America spends approximately $113 billion on mental health care (Washington Post). This amounts to about 5.5% of its overall health care spending. This is very similar to other developed nations as well.
Money used for mental health has shifted away from impatient care, to outpatient care. This shift has been prevalent ever since Mental Institutions began to decline in the 1960s. Drugs have also improved significantly, making it easier to spend money on medications to treat the patients.
The Cost
No matter what health care treatment you receive, it will always be expensive. Not only are prescription meds costly, but also a trip to a psychiatrist can run you about $100 an hour. Price of treatment is so steep, that approximately 45% of untreated individuals stated that the cost is a reason for neglecting treatment (Washington Post).
Budget Cuts
Since the recession, states have cut $1.8 billion from their mental health budgets (Washington Post). The states with the largest cuts included Alaska, South Carolina, and Arizona. Many states closed psychiatric hospitals, which leaves the mentally ill to seek treatment elsewhere.
Mental Health Recovery 
