New NAMI Poll Shows Americans Want Congress to Act as Mental Health System Reaches Breaking Point

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National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Dec 03, 2025, 06:00 ET

Nearly one in five rate their mental health as poor, and large majorities oppose federal cuts to services, housing, Medicaid, and suicide prevention.

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With the country's mental health system reaching a breaking point, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) released a new poll today highlighting Americans' concerns about the nation's mental health system and showing their strong support for Congress to address the mental health needs of Americans. As recent federal actions cut funding from important services and support, including supportive housing, early intervention, and Medicaid coverage, the new poll finds Americans overwhelmingly oppose federal cuts for mental health-related programs and are concerned about their negative impacts.

"At NAMI, we hear every day how hard hit our communities are by federal cuts while demand for mental health support is skyrocketing — and this new poll shows the public is noticing, too," said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. "People are worried about their finances, their housing, and the uncertainty around them, including what kind of mental health care and support will be there for them moving forward. With the strain on the country's mental health system growing more dire, we have to come together and provide the resources that our communities need. We urge policymakers to act quickly to keep mental health care and services within reach for people who need it."

Today's poll of 2,046 U.S. adults, conducted with Ipsos, finds:

Americans strongly oppose federal cuts to mental health funding and staff — and are concerned about their negative impacts. Nearly three in four (73%) respondents oppose cutting federal jobs and programs focused on mental health services, opioid treatment, suicide prevention programs, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If significant federal jobs are cut — as has been attempted at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Americans are overwhelmingly concerned about the possible negative impacts on mental health services in their community (75%), suicide prevention in schools (76%), the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's ability to answer calls (79%), and mental health services for veterans (85%). Four in five (83%) support protecting federal Medicaid funding to help people access mental health care, although the newly passed H.R. 1 will cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid over the course of the next decade.
Americans think policymakers are doing too little to address mental health needs in the U.S. Fifty seven percent of adults hold an unfavorable view about the current state of the mental health care system in the United States — an increase of seven percentage points from June 2025. Nearly two in three Americans (64%) believe Congress is doing too little to address it. The same percentage (64%) believe the U.S is spending too little on resources for mental health services.
The public wants Congress to make mental health funding a priority — and to protect the funding Congress has already appropriated. Three in five Americans believe mental health care (63%) should be a high priority for federal funding, and more than half (55%) say the same for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and suicide prevention programs. As the Administration moves to slash federal funding for stable, affordable supportive housing for people with mental illness, 60% of respondents say affordable housing programs should also be a high priority. Americans also overwhelmingly (83%) support protecting federal funding to help people access mental health care.
While Americans urge Congress to act, the current state of the world is adding to people's poor mental health. Nearly one in five Americans rate their current mental health (17%) and emotional well-being (18%) as poor, and more than one in four (28%) rate their stress levels as poor. Americans overwhelmingly (72%) rate the current state of the world as poor and say that uncertainty about the future (80%), cost of living increases (78%), financial worries or debt (71%), health concerns for themselves or loved ones (64%), are having a negative impact on their mental health. One in three Americans (32%) also say the same about caregiving responsibilities.

"Far too many Americans are stressed out and struggling, worried about staying afloat or the collective uncertainty we face. This NAMI/Ipsos research once again highlights the continuing support for policymakers to do more to address the mental health needs of our country," said Mallory Newall, Vice President at Ipsos.

NAMI advocates from around the country are on Capitol Hill today to push for extension of enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits (eAPTCs), protection of federal funding for mental health, and suicide prevention and workforce programs. NAMI will continue advocating with Congress and the Administration to protect federal mental health funding, programs, and staff – and ensure that lived experience of people with mental illness and the public's perspectives are heard loud and clear.

Find more poll findings at nami.org/Dec2025Poll.

This NAMI/Ipsos poll was conducted November 7 – 9, 2025, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 2,046 general population adults age 18 or older. The survey has a margin of error of ± 2.3 percentage points. Learn more about the poll methodology.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

SOURCE National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)