About 8.3 million U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 received mental health treatment in 2023 — about 31.9% of the age group, according to data published July 30 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The "Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States" report used results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which compiled the latest indicators related to substance use, mental health, treatment and recovery in the U.S., collected from nationwide respondents.
Below are five additional key findings about adolescents aged 12-17 from the report.
- 14.7%, or 3.8 million, used illicit drugs at least once in 2023.
- 2.2 million — or 8.5% — met DSM-5 criteria for having a substance use disorder.
- 18.1%, or 4.5 million, had a major depressive episode in the past year.
- About 4.4%, or 1.1 million people, received substance use disorder treatment in 2023.
- Among adolescents who experienced a major depressive episode in the last year, 2.7 million (59.8%) received mental health treatment.