Snapshot of Mental Illness Today:

According to the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Institute of Mental Health 2010 Report, there are close to 8 million adults in the United States living with severe mental illness, and over 3.5 million with untreated severe mental illness. According to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Commonwealth of Virginia received a “D” ranking for its mental health system. There are over 1 million Virginians with mental illness and over 300,000 each year live with a serious mental illness and need urgent care. Virginia’s public mental health system provides services to only 19% of adults who live with a serious mental illness. Consequences of a lack of treatment options lead to overburdened systems. Approximately 1 in 4 Virginia’s jail inmates live with a mental health problem. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth and young adults aged 15-24. The Commonwealth ranks 39^th in the country for mental health services. The Hampton Roads region mirrors the decline of services and facilities for the mentally ill at both the national and state levels.