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How are Social Workers Helping with the Mental Health Crisis?

Social Worker License

by Social Worker License Staff

Updated: January 2nd, 2023

The mental health crisis in the United States is a significant problem that affects both adults and children. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021:

  • An estimated 44.7 million adults in the United States (about 18.7% of the adult population) had a mental illness.
  • An estimated 13.1% of children aged 2-17 (about 8.4 million children) had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.

As you can likely surmise, mental health problems are common and are having a significant impact on individuals and their families.

What are Mental Health Problems/Illnesses and how are they defined?

Mental health problems can range in severity, from mild to severe. Some people may experience symptoms that are relatively mild and manageable, while others may experience more severe symptoms that significantly interfere with their daily lives.

In the United States, mental health illnesses are defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM is a standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals. 

The DSM includes definitions and criteria for diagnosing mental disorders. For each disorder, the DSM includes a list of symptoms and a set of criteria that must be met in order to make a diagnosis. The DSM also includes information on the prevalence, course, and treatment of each disorder.

The DSM is revised periodically to reflect new research and developments in the field of mental health. The most recent version of the DSM is the DSM-5, which was published in 2013.

The DSM-5 organizes mental disorders into different categories based on the type of disorder and the specific symptoms that are present. Some of the main categories of disorders in the DSM-5 include:

  • Anxiety disorders: Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, are characterized by excessive worry or fear that is not proportional to the situation.
  • Mood disorders: Mood disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorder, are characterized by changes in mood that are more severe or prolonged than what is normal for the individual.
  • Substance use disorders: Substance use disorders, including alcohol and drug addiction, are characterized by a pattern of substance use that causes significant problems in an individual’s life.
  • Personality disorders: Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder, are characterized by long-term patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are significantly different from the norm.
  • Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality and abnormal thought processes.

Mental Health Illnesses Among Adults

Mental health issues are a significant problem in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021, an estimated 44.7 million adults in the United States (about 18.7% of the adult population) suffered from some form of a mental illness.

Among adults the most common mental health problems in the United States currently include:

  1. Anxiety disorders: Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, are the most common mental health problems in the United States, affecting about 18.1% of adults.
  2. Mood disorders: Mood disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorder, are the second most common mental health problems in the United States, affecting about 9.1% of adults.
  3. Substance use disorders: Substance use disorders, including alcohol and drug addiction, are a significant problem in the United States, affecting about 8.4% of adults.
  4. Personality disorders: Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder, affect about 6.9% of adults in the United States.
  5. Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects about 1.1% of adults in the United States.

** It is important to note that these figures are estimates and that the prevalence of mental health problems can vary depending on the methods used to collect and analyze data. Additionally, many people with mental health problems may not seek treatment, so the true prevalence of mental health problems in the United States may be higher.

Mental Health Among Children and Young Adults

Mental health problems are also a significant issue among children and young adults in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021:

  • An estimated 13.1% of children aged 2-17 (about 8.4 million children) had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
  • The most common mental health problems among children and adolescents were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavior or conduct problems, and anxiety disorders.
  • An estimated 3% of children aged 2-17 (about 1.9 million children) had a severe mental illness.
  • An estimated 25.8% of young adults aged 18-25 (about 6.3 million young adults) had a mental illness.
  • The most common mental health problems among young adults were major depression, substance use disorders, and anxiety disorders.

How do Social Workers help address mental health issues?

Social workers play a critical role in addressing the mental health problem in the United States. They are trained professionals who help individuals, families, and communities to cope with and solve problems related to mental health, substance abuse, poverty, and other social issues. They provide a wide range of services, including counseling, advocacy, and support to people who are struggling with mental health problems.

More specifically, social workers provide the following services to address mental health problems acutely and from a macro perspective:

Providing counseling and therapy

Social workers can provide individual, family, and group therapy to help people with mental health problems to cope with their symptoms and improve their well-being.

Social Workers Providing Counseling and Therapy

Here is an example of a social worker providing counseling and therapy to an individual with mental health problems:

Sarah is a social worker who works at a community mental health center. She has been seeing a client named John, who has been struggling with depression and anxiety. John has been feeling down and anxious for the past several months and has been having difficulty functioning at work and in his personal life.

Sarah meets with John once a week for individual therapy sessions. During these sessions, Sarah uses a variety of therapeutic techniques, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapy, to help John understand and address his negative thoughts and behaviors.

Sarah helps John to identify the negative thought patterns that contribute to his depression and anxiety, and she helps him to develop strategies for challenging and changing these thoughts. She also helps John to learn mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, to help him manage his anxiety in the moment.

In addition to working with John in individual therapy sessions, Sarah also helps him to connect with other resources in the community that can support his mental health recovery. She helps him to find a support group for people with depression and anxiety and helps him to access resources for managing his finances and finding employment.

Through her work with John, Sarah is able to help him to better understand and manage his mental health problems and to improve his overall well-being.

This example illustrates the important role that social workers can play in providing counseling and therapy to individuals with mental health problems. Social workers are trained to use a variety of therapeutic techniques and approaches to help people understand and address their mental health problems and improve their overall well-being.

Connecting people with resources

Social workers can help people with mental health problems to access the resources they need, such as medication, housing, and financial assistance.

Social Worker Providing Resources

Here is an example of a social worker connecting people with resources:

Samantha is a social worker who works at a community health center. She has been working with a client named Maria, who has been struggling with depression and anxiety. Maria has been having difficulty paying for her medications and has been struggling to find stable housing.

Samantha meets with Maria regularly to provide counseling and support. During their sessions, Samantha helps Maria to identify her goals and the resources she needs to achieve them. She assists Maria in accessing financial assistance programs to help her pay for her medications and in finding housing resources, such as shelters or affordable housing options.

Samantha also helps Maria to connect with other resources in the community that can support her mental health recovery, such as a support group for people with depression and anxiety. She helps Maria to access resources for managing her finances and finding employment, and she provides her with information on how to access mental health treatment if needed.

Through her work with Maria, Samantha is able to help her to address her immediate needs and to build a foundation for long-term recovery and well-being.

Advocating for policy change

Social workers can work to advocate for policy changes that will improve mental health care in the United States, such as increasing funding for mental health services or reforming the mental health care system.

There are many ways that social workers can advocate for policy change to address the mental health crisis in the United States. Here are a few examples:

  1. Participate in grassroots advocacy: Community social workers, who work directly with individuals and communities to address social and economic issues, may be particularly well-suited to engage in advocacy efforts at the local level. This could include joining grassroots organizations, attending community meetings and hearings, and contacting their elected representatives to express their support for mental health policies.
  2. Testify before legislative committees: Policy practice social workers, who specialize in analyzing and advocating for policies that promote social and economic justice, may be interested in testifying before legislative committees at the state or federal level. This can be a powerful way to influence policy and bring attention to the issues that are important to social workers and their clients.
  3. Work with professional organizations: Any type of social worker can get involved in the advocacy efforts of professional organizations, such as the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), to influence policy discussions at the state and federal level. These organizations can provide support and resources for social workers who want to advocate for change.
  4. Use social media: Social media can be a useful tool for advocacy for any type of social worker. By sharing information about mental health policies and advocating for change on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, social workers can raise awareness and generate support for their efforts.
  5. Collaborate with other organizations: Any type of social worker can work with other organizations, such as mental health advocacy groups, to amplify their voices and increase the impact of their advocacy efforts. Collaborating with these groups can also help social workers gain access to a wider range of resources and expertise.

Promoting mental health awareness

Social workers can help to raise awareness about mental health problems and the importance of seeking help, which can help to reduce stigma and encourage more people to seek treatment.

There are many ways in which a social worker can accomplish this. The following are just a few avenues:

  1. Educate the community about mental health: Social workers can provide information and resources about mental health to the community through presentations, workshops, and other forms of outreach. They can also work with local organizations and schools to provide education about mental health and help people understand the importance of seeking help when needed.
  2. Participate in mental health advocacy: Social workers can advocate for policies and legislation that support mental health and promote access to mental health services. They can also work with advocacy groups and organizations that specialize in mental health issues to raise awareness and promote change.
  3. Support mental health awareness events: Social workers can participate in or help organize events such as mental health fairs, walkathons, and other community events that promote awareness and understanding of mental health issues.
  4. Use social media to spread the word: Social workers can use social media platforms to share information and resources about mental health and encourage others to do the same.
  5. Work with the media: Social workers can work with local media outlets to provide information about mental health and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Some organizations that specialize in promoting mental health awareness include the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Mental Health America (MHA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

It’s important to remember that promoting mental health awareness is not just about providing information and resources, but also about creating a supportive and inclusive environment for those who are struggling with mental health issues. As a social worker, you can play a crucial role in helping to create this kind of environment and make a positive impact in your community.

Resources:

National Institute of Mental Health’s 2021 “Mental Health Surveillance Among Adults in the United States” report.

National Institute of Mental Health’s 2021 “Mental Health Surveillance Among Children in the United States” report.