Behavioral health utilization surged by 62.6% since 2018, according to a new report from Trilliant Health analyzing national claims data, provider information, and public health sources. Despite this dramatic increase in demand, the industry faces critical workforce and access challenges.
Behavioral health utilization increased to 1,346 visits per 1,000 people between 2018 and 2024. Anxiety disorders had the fastest growth, increasing by 89.3% over this period, with the highest utilization among women between the ages of 18 and 44. Drug and alcohol-related deaths have risen 176.1% since 1999, with mortality more than doubling across all adult male age groups and the sharpest increase of 118.7% among men ages 65 to 84.
Workforce Crisis
About two-thirds of behavioral health visits occur via telehealth. However, major workforce challenges persist, with the U.S. only meeting about 27.3% of its mental health workforce needs. The nation is projected to face significant shortages by 2038, including roughly 36,780 fewer adult psychiatrists and 99,780 fewer mental health counselors than required. Untreated mental illness is estimated to have cost $477.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to surpass $1.3 trillion per year by 2040.
Access to care remains uneven, with negotiated prices for individual and group psychotherapy varying by as much as sevenfold. To address this crisis, Allison Oakes, chief research officer of Trilliant Health, emphasized that the industry needs to increase workforce supply and address burnout. She noted that nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and primary care physicians now prescribe about two-thirds of all behavioral health-related medications. “We need to figure out how to get more providers into the workforce. We need to figure out how to keep them in the workforce. 83% of mental health providers report burnout,” Oakes said.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://medcitynews.com/2026/04/behavioral-health-demand-trilliant/