Currently, the most important topic regarding mental health access in the US is access to care — particularly regarding ‘who’ can get care, ‘when’ can they get care, and ‘how easily’ can they get care. The priority of this topic is brought into focus by Mental Health America’s 2026 policy agenda establishing that no matter how advanced the treatment options are, they don’t matter if individuals cannot access those options.
Mental Health America’s broader priorities focus on three key principles as well: 1) Preventive measures, which focus on helping individuals “upstream” prior to crises developing; 2) Increasing the amount of mental health insurance that exists and making sure those insurance networks are adequate; and 3) Increasing and strengthening the community-based workforce (particularly regarding peer support specialists) that is representative of the diverse communities and populations being served by accessing mental health care.
In practical terms, increasing access to mental health care means increasing individuals’ ability to access mental health services — therefore creating a greater emphasis on reducing barriers to entry into the mental health service system, decreasing the number of individuals waiting for access to mental health services, matching individuals with culturally/linguistically appropriate services, and not allowing the implementation of policies that will prematurely limit access to care (e.g., state/federal Medicaid programs, school-based services).
The peer support workforce will be a major focus of this initiative. People who have lived with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder often build trusting relationships much more quickly than the professional providers on the whole and therefore, Mental Health America supports fair reimbursement for peer support services, standardised training pathways for the peer support workforce, and fair compensation for the peer support workforce in order to ensure that access to mental health care and mental health services is based not only on licensed clinicians providing services in outpatient office settings but also on peer-led services provided in respites, mobile teams or peer support groups.
For example, someone feeling overwhelmed could call a counsellor for an immediate appointment; meet with someone who has lived through similar experiences; or go to a group meeting that is comprised of people he can relate to and is safe to be there. The new mental health system will provide easy, equal access to mental health services without the need to navigate prior authorisation processes, waiting in long phone lines and having unpaid clinician no-shows.
According to experts, there continues to be a need for a sustained commitment from elected officials to make it happen through dedicated funding from governmental sources for mental health care and an ongoing willingness to listen to the lived experiences of those who experience the broken mental health care system.
As the United States continues to confront the impact of anxiety, depression, and trauma, MHA’s 2026 Priorities provide a framework for practitioners to create plans for how to develop a future mental health care system that will be available based solely on science by ensuring that all individuals have equal access to mental health care through community building and relationship building, thereby ensuring that everybody has access to the same types of mental health care.
Source: Mental Health America – Mental Health America 2026 Priorities
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