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Mental Health and Illness

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Many diseases, injuries, and maladies are associated with psychological or physical impairment that affect mental health. RAND research covers a broad range of mental health and illness topics, including autism spectrum disorders, teen depression, disparities in mental health care, and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) among military veterans and survivors of natural disasters.

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
Intelligence Work Is Exciting. And Traumatizing
The intelligence community needs to communicate to its workforce about the varied forms of trauma, how it affects individuals, and what resources exist to help. Protecting the intelligence workforce can help protect us all.
Nov 30, 2022

Explore Mental Health and Illness

Commentary
Treating Mental Health Within Jails Should Start Beyond Jails
In the United States, people with mental health concerns are disproportionately jailed at a staggering rate. It is essential that people have access to the health care they need while incarcerated. But efforts to build up community-based alternatives are essential, too.
Jun 22, 2023
Report
American Teacher Well-Being and Intentions to Leave
Teachers reported better well-being in January 2023 than in 2021 and 2022, and rates of job-related stress have returned to pre-pandemic levels. But teachers continue to report worse well-being than other working adults. Twenty-three percent said that they were likely to leave their jobs.
Jun 21, 2023
Blog
Reconstructing Ukraine, Wildfires, Telehealth: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on reconstructing Ukraine, what to do about wildfires, virtual mental health care services, and more.
Jun 16, 2023
Testimony
Geographic Availability of Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Veterans
Far too many Americans, and especially veterans, fail to receive treatment for substance use disorder. Improved data collection on the availability and accessibility of treatment could help increase the number of veterans who get treatment and prevent unnecessary drug overdose deaths.
Jun 14, 2023
News Release
State Policies During COVID Associated with Increase in Tele-Mental Health; Disparities in Access to Care Persist Despite Expansion
Four state policies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to spur expansion of telehealth were associated with expansion of such services by mental health facilities, but growth of telehealth was lower among facilities in counties with the greatest proportion of Black residents.
Jun 13, 2023
Project
Evaluation of California's Statewide Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention Initiatives
The RAND Corporation is evaluating California's statewide prevention and early intervention programs, which aim to reduce negative outcomes for people experiencing mental illness.
Jun 13, 2023
Report
Toward a Unified Multiscale Computational Model of the Human Body's Immediate Responses to Blast-Related Trauma: Proceedings and Expert Findings from a U.S. Department of Defense International State-of-the-Science Meeting
These proceedings describe the tenth U.S. Department of Defense International State-of-the-Science Meeting on Blast Injury Research, where experts discussed innovations in multiscale modeling of the human body's response to blast-related trauma.
Jun 13, 2023
Report
Evaluation of California's Statewide Mental Health Campaigns
This report describes surveys of a representative sample of California adults to understand the reach and impact of the California Mental Health Services Authority's mental health prevention and early intervention campaigns.
Jun 13, 2023
Commentary
State and Local Policy Is Changing for Psychedelics. What Will the Feds Do?
Psychedelics are attracting interest as a treatment for some mental health conditions. In response, some states and cities are changing their laws and policies on the supply and use of these mind-altering substances. But like cannabis, most psychedelics are federally prohibited—raising some tough questions for the federal government.
Jun 12, 2023
Commentary
An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This
Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.
Jun 1, 2023
Journal Article
Geographical Access to Specialized Behavioral Health Treatment Programs for U.S. Active Duty Service Members and Military Families from Military Installations
The purpose of this study is to determine geographical access to specialized behavioral health programs tailored to active duty U.S. service members and military families from military installations.
Jun 1, 2023
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
Journal Article
Stress-induced Changes in Autonomic Reactivity Vary with Adolescent Violence Exposure and Resting-state Functional Connectivity
Exposure to violence during childhood can lead to functional changes in brain regions. This study examined whether changes in autonomic responses varied with whole brain resting-state functional connectivity as a function of violence exposure.
May 18, 2023
Journal Article
Thinking Without Knowing: Psychological and Behavioral Consequences of Unjustified Confidence Regarding Blackjack Strategy
In two studies, we explored potential psychological and behavioral consequences of unjustified confidence, including outcome expectations, anxiety, risk taking, and information search and consideration.
May 18, 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
Blog
Ukraine's Recovery, Mental Health First Aid, School Staffing: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the trade-offs of Ukraine's reconstruction, the effects of a Mental Health First Aid training program, school staffing challenges, and more.
May 5, 2023
Journal Article
CalAIM and Specialty Behavioral Health Care: Lessons from Other States on Value-Based Payment
This report examines the experience of state Medicaid agencies with implementation of value-based payment models for behavioral health care and the implications of that experience for future payment reform in California.
May 5, 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

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RAND Topic:
Mental Health and Illness

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Ryan K. McBain

Policy Researcher

Ryan K. McBain is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. He focuses on the design and evaluation of health policies and programs meant to reach vulnerable populations—including those coping with mental health conditions, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and poverty. To achieve this, McBain has…
Marcela Horvitz-Lennon

Senior Physician Policy Researcher

Marcela Horvitz-Lennon is a senior physician scientist at the RAND Corporation and a core faculty member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She is also an associate professor of psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School, a senior scientist at the Health Equity Research Laboratory,…

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