Survey from U.S. Conference of Mayors details mental health crisis faced by cities

Written by Andy Castillo

Exacerbated by the pandemic, mental health has become a key mayoral issue over the last several years. A new survey published recently by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USMC) describes these challenges in detail.

“Mayors are sounding the alarm on the mental health crisis in the U.S.,” said Hillary Schieve, mayor of Reno, Nev., incoming USCM president and chair of the organization’s Task Force on Mental Health. “This challenge is only growing; it has many forms; and it will not resolve itself. People in our communities are struggling, and it will take mayors along with state and federal leaders working together to get people the help they need. This survey highlights both the work that we have done to provide help to those in crisis, and the work that has yet to be done.”

Specifically, 97% of mayors surveyed representing 117 American cities said they’ve seen an increase in requests for mental health services over the last two years. Meanwhile, 88% said their staff doesn’t have enough resources to respond to the crisis, and 71% reported their residents do not have access to the mental health services they require. To meet these increasing needs, 82% of respondents said their cities have developed new initiatives or programs and/or increased funding to existing mental health services. Of all drivers, substance abuse was identified most frequently (88%) as the primary cause of the increased need for services. COVID-19 (75% of the cities) and homelessness (74%) were ranked second and third.

“Depression leads the list of the primary mental health problems exhibited by young people, with 89% of the cities identifying it. Loneliness was next, identified by 55% of the cities, followed by low self-esteem, identified by 54%. Self-harm and alienation were each identified by 43% of the cities,” the report continues. “43.5% of the cities said teen suicide is a significant problem.”

Cities are addressing these needs in many different ways. The report contains 85 brief vignettes from citiess across the United States documenting how they’ve responded to mental health needs in their communities. A common thread in all of them is the creation of a new mental health outreach team. In Long Beach, Calif., for example, administrators created a mobile homeless and behavioral health service that visits people where they. In parallel, a homeless outreach team fields calls from those in need around the clock. On the other coast, Revere, Mass. hired a social worker, created a warming center, and launched a behavioral health unit within the city’s police department. And in San Antonio, Texas, administrators have dedicated a “significant portion of ARPA funding to address mental health concerns,” the report says. This includes an outreach team composed of a mental health clinician, a trained paramedic, and a mental health officer from the police department.

“This team is deployed in the central substation, an area of the city with a high equity score and hivh volume of mental health 9-1-1 calls,” the report continues. Additionally, the city allocated $19.3 million to nonprofit organizations to address increased social isolation, anxiety, and depression in youth, homeless people and older adults.

“These two-year contracts went to 28 different agencies and started in March 2023. The City currently has $4.6 million in funding being evaluated to address increased mental health needs of at-risk youth and youth in foster care, the increase in family violence 911 calls, and increased substance use and overdose,” the report says.

For more information and to view the entire report, visit the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ website.