Investing in better mental healthcare isn’t a “nice to have”—it can drive meaningful societal and economic progress. For example, improved mental health is associated with better physical health and higher workforce participation. And because 75 percent of mental health conditions emerge by the mid-20s, early interventions could make a meaningful impact on the futures of young people.
Yet mental health services remain underfunded in most parts of the world. The good news: While financing mental healthcare is complex, there are proven ways to expand access at scale.
Research from the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) by Erica Coe, Javier Valenzuela, Kana Enomoto, and Clara Gianola highlights how task sharing—where trained nonspecialists at the community level deliver evidence-based care alongside clinicians—can reach more people.
Funding is just as critical. MHI research highlights approaches ranging from public budgets and insurance reimbursement to blended models combining philanthropic, public, and private investment. If scaled effectively, task sharing could contribute up to $350 billion to global GDP.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, explore our research on how investing in mental health could lead to stronger, more prosperous economies.
The future is shared: Financing task-sharing programs in mental health
Scaling mental health where life happens: Helping Santiago thrive across the lifespan
How leaders can help their organizations metabolize strain
The health of nations: Stronger health, stronger economies
Keeping investment in mind: Strategies for financing mental health
McKinsey Health Institute and global partners explore AI’s role in closing the mental healthcare gap
Investing in the future: How better mental health benefits everyone