Trauma-informed conversations are stronger when they begin with reliable context. These statistics bring together recent public data on adverse childhood experiences, mental illness, and mental health care in the United States.
Each figure below links to the original public source. Population estimates cannot explain any one person’s story, and they are not a substitute for individual assessment or care.
At a glance
Six citable statistics
63.9%
reported at least one adverse childhood experience
Across 25 U.S. jurisdictions that collected these data from 2011 through 2020, nearly two in three adults reported one or more adverse childhood experiences.
Source: CDC MMWR, 202317.3%
reported four or more adverse childhood experiences
In the same CDC analysis, about one in six adults reported four or more adverse childhood experiences.
Source: CDC MMWR, 202359.3 million
U.S. adults lived with mental illness in 2022
That was 23.1% of the U.S. adult population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health’s summary of national survey data.
Source: NIMH, 2022 data23.0%
of U.S. adults received mental health treatment in 2023
SAMHSA estimates this represented 59.2 million adults who received counseling, medication, telehealth, or another form of mental health treatment in the prior year.
Source: SAMHSA NSDUH, 202312.1%
of U.S. adults received mental health treatment by telehealth in 2023
SAMHSA estimates that 31.3 million adults received mental health treatment via telehealth in the prior year.
Source: SAMHSA NSDUH, 202353.9%
of adults with any mental illness received treatment in 2023
SAMHSA’s estimate means that nearly half of adults with any mental illness did not report receiving mental health treatment in the prior year.
Source: SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023Reading the data with care
What these figures can and cannot tell us.
Adverse childhood experience estimates are based on people who responded to state and territorial surveys, not a diagnosis or a prediction of what will happen in someone’s life. Mental illness and treatment estimates come from national surveys and use the definitions and methods described by their publishers.
They are useful for understanding the scale of need and the importance of responsive care. They do not define an individual’s experience, readiness, or the kind of support that may fit.
Read the practical guide to trauma-informed care →Sources and methodology
Where the numbers come from.
This page uses publicly available reports from federal health agencies. Figures are presented as reported by each source, with the source year shown beside every statistic. It was last reviewed on October 20, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among U.S. Adults,” MMWR, 2023. This analysis covers data from 25 jurisdictions collected from 2011 through 2020.
- National Institute of Mental Health, “Mental Illness.” The page summarizes 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates for U.S. adults.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This national report provides 2023 estimates for mental illness and treatment among the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population.
Cite this page
Synchronicity Be Well. “Trauma and Mental Health Statistics in the United States.” Updated October 20, 2026. https://synchronicitybewell.com/trauma-mental-health-statistics