Nearly one-third of the U.S. population lives in an area that reserves taxes for mental health services, according to a study published April 18 in The Milbank Quarterly.
An estimated 30 percent of the population lives in these jurisdictions, which in total generate more than $3.57 billion annually — almost double the amount spent on mental health services by the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration.
The study examined 207 tax policies involving mental health services, with 95.7 percent of them at the local level and 4.3 percent of them at the state level. In addition, 95.7 percent of these policies were passed by ballot initiative.
The study found that more than 100 million people are covered by these policies, and property and sales taxes were the most commonly used taxes, with 73.9 percent and 25.1 percent being used, respectively.
However, these earmarking policies varied in their spending requirements and design. The study found that five states added fees to cellphone bills to cover mental health crisis services such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and six states planned to use revenue from recreational marijuana sales to fund mental health services.
Read more of the study here.