Mental Health is the Number One Crisis in America, and Addiction is the Number One Cause

Mayors from all over the country addressed Congress this week about the mental health crisis they’re facing, the surge in demand for services, and the challenges in resources. Addiction is at the top of the list: in 85% of the cities, substance abuse is identified as the main cause for increased need.

Hillary Schieve, mayor of City of Reno, leads the bipartisan United States Conference of Mayors, the organization that addressed congressional leaders. We applaud her and the conference for drawing attention to this crisis.

Affect’s relationships with Health Plan Of Nevada, Inc. and Molina Healthcare help Nevadans with Medicaid get access to free treatment and mental health support through our digital program. We work with public health and criminal justice organizations across the state to build awareness and address this crisis head on.

It’s difficult to put a number on how much the addiction crisis is costing us, but it’s huge no matter how conservative the calculations are. The current estimated cost nationwide is $3.7 trillion dollars, with half a trillion in direct costs. As we grow across the nation and provide treatment in more states, partnerships with insurers and public organizations are key to fighting this battle.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The road out of the addiction crisis is made up of one recovery journey at a time. Only 1 in 13 people who need treatment for alcohol and drug addiction get the help they need. Affect’s program was designed to reduce all of the barriers to access and use the latest science and technology to deliver treatment that works.

What’s the greatest barrier to getting treatment? People are not aware that help is there.

We’re here to help. Reach out to learn more and partner with us.