Resource Center

The most recent update of results from SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) highlights mental health disparities faced by sexual minority adults, particularly bisexual females. More than half of all bisexual females had any mental illness (AMI) in the past year (53.9%), compared to 38.7% of lesbian and 25.4% of straight females. 43.3% of bisexual males experienced AMI in the past year, compared to 37.5% of gay and 18.1% of straight males. About 1 in 5 (19.5%) bisexual females and 14.4% of bisexual males experienced serious mental illness in the past year. Future surveys will ask respondents about their sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and sexual identity regardless of age in hopes of better capturing the experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals. To learn more, view the report from SAMHSA.    

Compared to the general population, people diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) face a shorter life expectancy by approximately 10 to 25 years. In May, a virtual roundtable convened 40 individuals – many with firsthand or caregiving lived experience – to address this disparity. Participants drafted an eight-point ranked recommendation to increase the lifespan of people with SMI including, but not limited to,  understanding the impacts of trauma, furthering the role of support systems, redefining clinical education, and examining outcomes meaningful to those with SMI. The effort represents an important shift toward highlighting lived experience in identifying research priorities. To learn more, read the article in JAMA. 

Caring Letters is a suicide prevention intervention in which individuals receive letters of care and support with the goal of facilitating connection and lowering suicide risk. The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a Caring Letters program in 2020 for all Veterans who contact the Veterans Crisis Line. A recent study adds to the evidence that the intervention is effective for this population. Researchers interviewed 23 Veterans who received nine letters over one year that included messages of support and mental health resources. Most participants reported that the letters had a positive impact, with some indicating they were more likely to engage with resources. However, they also offered areas for improvement. To learn more, see the study in Psychiatric Services.

The social determinants of health framework is commonly used to conceptualize the cultural and structural factors affecting mental health. A new review applies this framework specifically to psychosis-related health outcomes in communities of color, demonstrating that structural factors such as racial discrimination, food insecurity, and police violence are significant risk factors for psychosis within these communities. These findings inform a more nuanced understanding of the increased rates of psychosis and disparities in mental health treatment of Black and Latinx populations across the US – a critical step to developing policies and practice to address these issues. To learn more, read the article in Annual Review of Clinical Psychology.  

The mental health workforce is already experiencing a shortage, and by 2025, estimates suggest the U.S. will have 31,000 fewer practitioners than necessary to meet demand. A recent survey of 750 behavioral health workers and 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing found both groups are concerned that the shortage will negatively impact society. More than three quarters (76%) of behavioral health workers worry specifically about the potential loss of life due to workforce shortages. The report advocates for public policy changes to address provider concerns – such as increased caseload and burnout – to improve recruitment and retention of this critical workforce. To learn more, see the report from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.