Nearly a third of US population lives in an area that earmarks taxes for mental health

Local governments are increasingly adopting policies that earmark taxes for mental health services, and approximately 30% of the U.S. population lives in a jurisdiction with such a policy, finds a new analysis published in the journal The Milbank Quarterly.

These taxes generate more than $3.57 billion each year—nearly twice the amount spent by the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on mental health services.

Mental health services are financed through a complex—and often insufficient—mix of federal, state, and local sources in the United States. Improving access to quality mental health services is a growing priority for policymakers and the public alike.

To increase funding for mental health services, state and local governments have been adopting taxes that “earmark” or dedicate revenue for mental health. For instance, in 2005, California’s Mental Health Services Act increased the…