These days, more Americans than ever before are dealing with some sort of mental health issue, and even many of us fortunate enough to not have such an affliction have a loved one who struggles with depression, anxiety, or other challenges like alcohol or drug addictions. I know firsthand how devastating this can be for a family: My own father was the child of two people with severe mental illnesses that rendered them incapable of being parents, leaving him to be raised by a series of elderly relatives before being shunted off to military school. In my childhood, dealing with my grandmother's mental health and frequent hospitalizations was a source of constant stress in my father's life, and her infrequent, erratic appearances in our life were uncomfortable and often embarrassing for my family.

More than one in five adults in the U.S. have some sort of mental illness, and four percent of the population has a serious mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. And while deaths from drug overdoses have begun to recede, they remain nearly 50 percent above the pre-pandemic numbers.

Amidst these unprecedented demands for mental health care, our providers have struggled to keep up. There are not enough psychiatrists and hospital beds to take care of everyone who needs treatment--our medical schools, teaching hospitals, and Ph.D. programs in psychology have been unable to boost the number of psychiatrists and psychologists to meet the increase in demand. This shortage is especially acute in smaller, rural communities that can be less appealing to highly-trained professionals in a well-paid field like psychiatry.

What's more, many people who need treatment do not necessarily appreciate the fact that they need it. Convincing people dealing with severe drug addiction or illnesses like schizophrenia to seek treatment or remain in it can be difficult, a sad fact that I can personally attest to.

Amidst these problems are accusations that some mental health providers have been keeping mentally ill people in their facilities against their will or longer than is necessary in order to inflate their payments.

It's a heady charge and one that--if true--would be extremely problematic. While I'm not an investigator, I've worked on healthcare policy long enough to have a few thoughts.

Damnation by anecdote is extremely problematic, especially when those who are the subject may not be able to provide an accurate description of reality. It is also questionable to rely only on the information provided by a select group of patients when healthcare providers are unable to offer more complete information due to patient privacy laws.

No one can claim that the status quo is perfect, but the typical problem with treating those struggling with substance abuse or the mentally ill is that they tend to resist treatment and often attempt to escape when given a chance. It is for this very reason that all fifty states have involuntary commitment laws to protect the safety of patients and the general public.

Medical decisions are made by doctors and clinicians that, despite best efforts, are all too often unable to meet overwhelming patient demand for treatment. The facilities in which these experts work are highly regulated and subject to inspection to ensure compliance.

There is room for improvement in the behavioral healthcare system, and any wrongdoing should be held to account. But advancements will be made when we accurately and comprehensively assess the state of treatment instead of relying on the misleading depictions of journalists who have incentives to portray dire situations.