Mental Health-Related Emergency Department Visits

For Everyone

About

The CDC Mental Health Data Channel uses recent data to tell the story of mental health and well-being in the U.S. This page provides information on U.S. mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits among youth and adults. Data is available by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Data on this page is updated monthly.
CDC Mental Health Data Channel

What to know

  • People may visit the ED when they experience a sudden mental health crisis, have a mental or behavioral health concern, or have a diagnosed mental health condition that could be contributing to another reason for being in the ED.
  • Measures on this page show number of emergency department (ED) visits related to mental health conditions. Information from EDs can often be obtained close to real-time.
  • Data on this page is displayed as a rate. The rate explains the number of ED visits related to a specific mental health condition out of every 100,000 ED visits.
  • Overall, the proportion of mental health-related ED visits were higher during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) than the periods before and after.1

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Visualizations

Select a topic

Overall mental health data **

National: Mental health-related ED visit rates

Anxiety data **

National: Anxiety-related ED visit rates

Depression data **

National: Depression-related ED visit rates

Trauma and stressor-related disorders data **

National: Rates of ED visits related to trauma and stressor-related disorders

Bipolar disorders data **

National: Bipolar disorders-related ED visit rates

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders data **

National: Schizophrenia-related ED visit rates

Why it matters

  • Mental health-related ED visit rates show the importance of providing adequate emergency services for those in crisis. They also highlight the need for sufficient mental health services in non-emergency (outpatient) settings that can help prevent crises before they start.
  • ED data provides public health officials with a timely system for detecting, understanding, and monitoring health threats and emerging mental health needs.
  • Tracking mental health trends using this data can give us early information about what is happening in communities related to mental health.

Youth mental health-related ED visits

CDC data describes increases in youth ED visits for select mental and behavioral health conditions during fall and spring school semesters2. Factors such as physical activity and supportive home, school, and community environments, as well as other positive childhood experiences, can help improve youth mental health.

Explore original data source tools

Design elements from CDC data systems.
CDC supports national and state level data systems to help us understand mental health in the U.S. This page features data excerpted from select systems.
  • National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) tracks symptoms and diagnoses of patients in EDs and other settings, in near real-time, so that public health officials can detect unusual levels of illness to determine whether a response is needed. Local and state health departments, CDC, and partners collaborate to collect and provide ED data.
Keep Reading Mental Health Data Sources

Resources

Ready to take action?

CDC promotes a population health approach that addresses the drivers of well-being and mental distress. Individuals, organizations, and communities can adopt strategies to promote well-being and prevent mental health conditions before they develop or worsen.
Resources for Population Mental Health

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  1. Holland K.M., Jones C., Vivolo-Kantor A.M., et al. (2021). Trends in US emergency department visits for mental health, overdose, and violence outcomes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry. 78(4), 372-379. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.4402
  2. Radhakrishnan L., Carey K., Pell D., et al. (2023). Seasonal Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions Among Children and Adolescents Aged 5–17 Years — United States, January 2018–June 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 72, 1032–1040. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7238a3.