Mental Illness Fact Sheet

Percentage of US adults with serious mental illness:  3.7%
“Serious” mental illness is typically thought to include, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder.

Percentage of adults in the US with a mental disorder during a given year: 25% (57.7 million)

Suicide claims the lives of a significant number of people with serious mental illness:
– one in ten people suffering from schizophrenia will commit suicide.
– one in five people suffering from bipolar disorder will commit suicide.

Mental illness is the leading cause of disabilities for American aged 14-44. 

Mental illness, including suicide, accounts for over 15% of the lost years of healthy life, also known as Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) – more than all cancers and second only to all cardiovascular conditions.

People with serious mental illness die, on average, 25 years earlier than the general population, largely due to preventable medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, substance abuse and smoking.Estimated annual cost of mental illness in the US from direct (care-related) and indirect (productivity-related) expenses: $150billion.

Annual cash benefits from Social Security to people disabled by mental illness (2001):$25 Billion

Percentage of suicides by people with mental illness: 90% (27,000 per year)

Estimated substance abuse by people with schizophrenia: 47% bipolar disorder: 61%

There are an estimated 2.3-3.5 million homeless people living in America.  More than 75% of them have a serious mental illness.

Percentage of homeless who are military veterans: 25%

Prior homelessness for members in the Laurel House supported housing programs: 90%

Percentage of US prison population with a serious mental illness: 20% (450,000 individuals, the great majority of whom were arrested for misdemeanors such as trespassing)

Percentage of Americans with serious mental illness who also abuse drugs or alcohol: 50% or more

Twenty-four percent of state prisoners have a recent history of a mental health disorder.

Children and adolescents in the United States with a serious mental or emotional disorder:  10%

Over 50% of students with a mental disorder age 14 and older drop out of high school.

Employment rate for Americans with serious mental illness: 10-15%
The Laurel House employment rate for people with mental illness is more than two times the national average.