Ninety percent of the public think there is a mental health crisis in the United States today, with half of young adults and one-third of all adults reporting that they have felt anxious either always or often in the past year, according to a recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN. One-third of respondents could not get the mental health services they needed. When asked about the specific barriers to accessing care, 80% cited cost and more than 60% cited shame and stigma as the main obstacles. Mental health providers throughout the country share a sense of urgency to find new ways to meet the high demand for services, and innovators are exploring interventions that diverge from traditional therapy models. The creative approaches include forms of support that require less time commitment from individuals, can be offered through digital devices, or both. "The lack of access to mental health care is an equity issue," said Martyn Whittingham, PhD, a licensed psychologist in Ohio who developed a brief group therapy intervention. "Too often people from marginalized communities struggle to access quality psychotherapy, and these innovative strategies can provide support to many more people."
