Mark Cloutier, MPP, MPH is the CEO of Caminar, a community-based behavioral health care agency in the Bay Area.

The lack of proper mental health treatment in our country is not only hurting the mental well-being of our society, it’s costing us billions. The effects of untreated mental health conditions span far beyond what you may imagine, leading to economic losses due to underemployment or unemployment, lower education attainment and even challenges in parenting and marriage. While our primary goal should always be to center health and well-being and decrease human suffering, there are also economic reasons that solidify the case for increased investment in mental health.

In a recent paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, researchers found that the current cost of mental health illnesses in America is $282 billion. While the impact of mental health goes well beyond dollars and cents, the economic investment is far less than the cost of not addressing or treating mental illness. Now is the time to prioritize mental health policies and practices—in the workplace and beyond—to unlock economic benefits that foster a healthier, more resilient society.

Preventative Care Will Stimulate The Economy

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year,” and the impact that depression and anxiety have on the global economy equals approximately $1 trillion in lost productivity each year. Additionally, “people with mental illness may consume less, opt for less-demanding jobs, and avoid investing in risky assets such as a house or stocks.” By choosing to treat mental health early on with preventative care, we are actually stimulating the rest of the economy.

The results include more people pursuing higher education, getting married and staying married, securing jobs and maintaining employment. It empowers more people who become parents to successfully navigate parenthood and results in people having stronger control over their personal financial choices, such as buying houses or selling to upgrade their current homes. All of these decisions impact the larger scale of the economy and are dependent on individual mental stability. Without the clarity to make these decisions or the support for life advances, they are setbacks that impact our society as a whole.

Early intervention and treatment of mental health illnesses also help our incarcerated population. According to NAMI, “About two in five people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness.” In the U.S., “$80 billion [is]

spent annually on corrections.” By providing the right preventative care and support services to these individuals, the rate of our incarcerated population decreases, as does the rate of recidivism.

These examples emphasize that mental health affects our day-to-day capabilities as individuals, as well as our larger society.

How To Solve This Financial (And Health) Crisis

• Helping Youth: To start, mental health treatment needs to begin at a younger age. On average, 1 in 5 youth have had a depressive episode in the past year. Beginning by educating parents on the signs of depression in children and how to help with treatment is critical to addressing it early on. In addition, educators and schools should be involved to assist with providing the resources needed to treat mental health in younger children. Providing the appropriate care and prioritizing policies and investments in mental health before we reach adulthood will benefit our society overall.

• Affordability: The cost of care continues to be an issue in this country as 1 in 4 adults with mental distress do not see a mental health provider because they can’t afford to. Expanding access to public programs and legislation for better coverage requirements for appropriate care are needed. Our government officials must be aware that it is an economic investment, as well as a health investment.

• Employers Taking Action: As employers, we can continue to support employees with mental health challenges in the workforce, recognizing that employees struggle and providing the care they need. This could look like advocating for benefits that protect these needs, allowing for more time off to address their mental health concerns or checking in frequently on how they’re doing. Ensuring there is mental health coverage in employer-sponsored health insurance to provide sufficient intensity and length of treatment can improve workers’ well-being.

• Prioritizing Health Inequities: Lastly, our nation’s mental health inequities have a looming negative impact on the economy. A study by Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College found that “excess costs arising from mental health inequities total an estimated US$477.5 billion in 2024.” Individuals in minority groups face other health struggles when not properly addressing mental health, such as chronic health diseases, and incur excess health expenses. The study also found that non-white populations “tend to bear more of the costs associated with mental health struggles” due to “long-standing structural racism and the legacy of policies that disadvantage certain populations, as well as social and economic conditions.” Expanding care and overcoming these obstacles must be prioritized to equally support our entire U.S. population, not just part of it.

The Time To Invest In Mental Health Is Now

Investing in treating mental health illnesses will not only stimulate our economy; it will save taxpayers money in the long run. There is a major misconception that there is enough money and resources already being invested in this need, but the reality is that the gaps are costing Americans significantly more and continuing to put our country in a serious financial situation. We need to consider the trickle effect of an individual’s life progression in our society through their education, job, housing, consumption of economic goods and tax-paying capacities.

Our support of mental health services and resources has to begin from the top down, from our government to our communities. By expanding the opportunities for individuals to receive the support they need, we can capture greater shared economic returns and reduce human suffering. The data shows that by investing in a whole person and putting their health first, the economic pieces will follow. We’ll all be better off in the end.

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