Mental health inequities projected to cost US $14 trillion over 16 years, new study says

Mental health inequities are projected to cost the U.S. $14 trillion between now and 2040, according to a new study from the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute.

The analysis concluded that unaddressed mental health conditions create a significant economic burden for the country and that eliminating inequities in treatment could lead to significant savings on health care.

“In this country, what we recognize, we have never been able to realize anything, especially in policy, unless we can demonstrate value to the government," Daniel Dawes, lead of the study, said at The Hill’s "Mind the Gap: The Cost of Mental Health Disparities" event Wednesday.

“We said, ‘let's project out the costs,’ because we don't know and understand the economic impact. And that's where you see the numbers moving in that direction. So, we're thinking about the cost of all of this as a simple solution.”

Dawes was joined by Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) at the panel, which was hosted by Otsuka and moderated by The Hill's Cheyanne Daniels. The legislators explained their personal relationship to mental health advocacy. 

“I had struggled with depression for most of my life. Every morning I take an antidepressant,” Torres said.

“I can honestly tell you I would not be alive today, let alone in Congress, if not for the power of mental health care, and this ability it has brought to my life,” he added.

McClain recounted her experience witnessing a close friend’s son lose his battle against mental health struggles. She explained that the event led her to seek reforms in the system, specifically against decriminalizing mental illness and increasing access to care.

“We need to see sweeping changes, actionable changes. For you to spend more than three days that you get evaluated is unbelievable,” she told the panel. “If you had cancer or broken leg, we would be up in arms about that.”

“You have to start somewhere. The legislation is bipartisan. Mental health has no political boundaries,” she added. 

McClain is a co-chair of the bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, which has advocated for legislation to curtail fentanyl overdoses through prevention and treatment strategies, and loan repayment programs for mental health professionals who go to work in under-resourced areas.

Dawes argued that "every time that we've been able to advance egalitarian or equity focused policies, we have seen the health of the entire nation improve."

He cited a study that found the passage of the Civil Rights Act prevented 38,600 deaths, homing in on the need for investments in communities of color where “stress and trauma” are seen disproportionately.