Do you think the mental health system in our country today functions well, or is it broken? Why or why not?

Experts and individual criticize the US mental health system as broken, fragmented, and underfunded. According to NAMI, one out of five Americans experience mental illness every year. Many have difficulty accessing support and treatment.

Two examples illustrate some of the problems with the mental health care system as it stands today:

1. Limitation in Access to Mental Healthcare: Due to the shortage of resources and mental health professionals, especially rural communities and those of color, it is difficult to get timely mental healthcare. Mental Health America states that in the US, more than 60% of adult patients with mental illnesses do not receive mental health care.
2. Criminalization of mental Illness. The criminal justice system fails to address people’s needs, leading to ineffective treatment and inappropriate imprisonment. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, there are ten times as many people suffering from serious mental illnesses in prisons and jails.