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Mental Health Treatment

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Effective mental health treatment must be based on a foundation of solid, robust evidence. RAND research on mental health treatment includes extensive work on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) interventions for military personnel as well as young children; cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in clients with alcohol and substance abuse problems; and prevention and early intervention strategies for community mental health.

Essay
Mental Health First Aid: Training People to Help Others
An innovative program trains and empowers people to not look away from those experiencing mental illness, but to listen to them, reassure them, and encourage them to get help. Most trainees of the program in New York City were still using what they had learned five years later.
May 3, 2023
Commentary
A Potential Backslide in Mental Health Care for Millions of Americans
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration expires shortly. When it does, it will have broad-sweeping effects, and one of the most significant is little known: It could begin undoing the expansion of mental health care access for millions of Americans.
Apr 18, 2023

Explore Mental Health Treatment

Report
Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of LA DOOR: A Proposition 47-Funded Program in Los Angeles: Cohort 2 Final Evaluation Report
The authors discuss the Los Angeles Diversion, Outreach, and Opportunities for Recovery program, which uses a health-focused preventative approach to engage those at risk of misdemeanors related to substance use, mental illness, or homelessness.
May 24, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: May-June 2023
The cover story commemorates RAND's 75th anniversary. One feature article explores what it would take to eliminate racial wealth disparities in the United States; another highlights a promising mental health first aid initiative in New York City.
May 12, 2023
Blog
RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research
From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.
May 8, 2023
Testimony
Solving the Mental Health Crisis: Tackling Psychiatric Bed Shortages in California
Psychiatric beds are essential infrastructure for meeting the needs of individuals with mental health conditions. But like many parts of the United States, California is confronting a shortage that, without action, will get worse over time. What are some recommendations to address the bed shortage?
May 1, 2023
Journal Article
Changes in In-Person, Audio-Only, and Video Visits in California's Federally Qualified Health Centers, 2019-2022
The decline in audio-only visits from the early pandemic peak appears to coincide with the return of in-person visits rather than growth in video visits.
Apr 25, 2023
Blog
Environmental Justice, Mental Health Care, Insomnia: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on environmental justice, access to mental health care, why America should stick with Europe. and more.
Apr 21, 2023
News Release
Audio-Only Telehealth Remains Common At Many Safety Net Clinics
In August 2022, more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, audio-only telehealth visits still accounted for 1 in 5 primary care visits and 2 in 5 mental health care visits at safety net clinics in California.
Apr 11, 2023
Research Brief
How Community Colleges Can Support Student Mental Health Needs
This report is a descriptive study of eight community colleges at the forefront of implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health, as well as key facilitators for and barriers to their success.
Apr 5, 2023
Report
Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Community College Students
This report is a descriptive study of eight community colleges at the forefront of implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health and key facilitators for and barriers to their success.
Apr 5, 2023
Report
Behavioral Health Care Following the Onset of the Pandemic
In what ways did the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic change how behavioral health care was delivered to service members with PTSD, depression, or substance use disorder?
Mar 20, 2023
Report
Interventions for People Who Have Attempted Suicide and Their Family Members: A Systematic Review
A history of having attempted suicide is an important risk factor for suicide. In this report, the authors review the uptake, retention, and effectiveness of suicide aftercare interventions after an attempt.
Mar 8, 2023
Commentary
RAND Experts on Veteran Mental Health Respond to the White House Mental Health Research Priorities
The White House identified eight research priorities to better manage America's current mental health crisis. RAND researchers highlight why each area is critical for veteran mental health and how RAND is contributing to address them.
Feb 20, 2023
Commentary
Preventing Military Sexual Assault Is Important. So Is Getting Mental Health Care Afterward
Despite a decade of scrutiny on the issue, sexual assault and harassment in the military is still a pervasive problem. The effects of the trauma from these assaults can be lasting. So it's not just the military services, but also veterans' services, that need to connect these people to appropriate care for mental health.
Feb 15, 2023
Journal Article
Perceived Need for Mental Health Treatment and the Mental Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
Population-based information on the extent of perceived need for mental health treatment and clinically significant psychological distress can help inform strategies for responding to the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feb 1, 2023
Journal Article
Early Evaluation of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Trailblazer Programme: A Rapid Mixed-Methods Study
An early evaluation of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Trailblazer programme examines the development, implementation and early progress of the 25 mental health support teams created as the first step of the programme.
Feb 1, 2023
Blog
Regulating Space, Threats to Critical Infrastructure, Psychedelics: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the need for governance in outer space, why the recent FAA system failure was a wake-up call, the changing policy landscape around psychedelic therapies, and more.
Jan 20, 2023
News Release
Mental Health Telehealth Services Increased During Pandemic; Treatment Rates Increased for Some Disorders
Telehealth services for common mental health problems surged 16 to 20 fold during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than making up for a drop in in-person care that occurred during the period for a number of conditions.
Jan 6, 2023
Journal Article
Perspectives Regarding Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Individuals with Mental Illness
Clients at publicly-funded mental health clinics support MOUD treatment, signaling a need to expand access and build awareness of MOUDs in these settings.
Jan 4, 2023
Report
Alternative Approaches for Expanding the Air Force's Task Force True North Program
This report identifies approaches to expanding the Air Force's Task Force True North program, which seeks to provide prevention and treatment programs to airmen in need by embedding health care providers directly into units.
Dec 22, 2022

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Lu Dong

Behavioral Scientist

Lu Dong (she/her) is a behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation. Also a clinical psychologist with expertise in evidence-based psychological treatments for youth and their families, her research has broadly focused on developing and evaluating transdiagnostic psychological interventions,…
Jonathan H. Cantor

Policy Researcher

Jonathan Cantor is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. His key research interests are in health policies related to obesity, substance use disorder, mental health, pharmaceutical use, and other health behaviors. He uses theoretical frameworks and research methods from health economics,…

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