- sennareese7
- Aug 6
- 4 min read
The last decade has seen an immense shift in how Americans access mental health care. While headlines often focus on the rise of telemedicine, the real story is in the numbers and what they reveal about who’s getting help, how, and through which channels.
Using data sets on the adoption rates of telemedicine and mental health cases by demographics among U.S. adults from the SAMHSA mental health annual report (2015–2022), I cross-examined access to mental health care and telehealth usage - empowered by BrightAgent.
Between 2016 and 2020, the total number of reported mental health cases climbed steadily from about 5.7 million to a peak of nearly 7.0 million. This surge, culminating in the pandemic year of 2020, mirrors the national conversation: more people are seeking help, and the system is adapting to keep up.
But the story doesn’t end with rising need. The way people are getting help is changing just as quickly.
Telemedicine: From Niche to Necessity
Telemedicine, once a niche option, has become a lifeline for many. The data shows that certain channels have exploded in popularity. Live video visits, for example, leapt from just 7% adoption rate in 2015 to 52% by 2022. Text-based telehealth also saw a dramatic rise, from 12% in 2015 to 36% in 2022. Even more traditional channels such as live phone calls and health apps or websites saw steady, if less dramatic, growth. This isn’t just a story of technology adoption. As mental health needs soared, so did the willingness to try new ways of connecting with care.
BrightAgent’s year-by-year view lets me easily compare raw case counts with channel adoption. Live Video shows a strong positive correlation (r = 0.71) with total mental-health cases, meaning both move upward in tandem. Conversely, Health App or Website usage is negatively correlated with overall cases (r = −0.86): in years with higher need, reliance on self-guided apps fell.
Why the split? What surprised me most was how quickly people pivoted away from self-guided tools when need was highest. It brings up the question: are we underestimating the value of human connection, even in digital spaces?
2020 stands out as a watershed year, with both mental health cases and telemedicine usage peaking or accelerating. Live video, in particular, emerged as the fastest-growing channel, reflecting a shift toward more interactive, real-time care. Yet, the data also highlights persistent disparities: not all communities are adopting telemedicine in the same way, and some channels remain underutilized by certain groups.
Live Video: The Channel of Choice for Many Communities
Delving into demographic data, live video stands out as the most universally embraced telemedicine channel, and especially so for certain groups. The data shows the strongest positive correlation between adoption rate of live video and number of mental health cases among American Indian or Alaska Native populations (r = +0.93). The next highest correlation is for Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander communities (r = +0.84). This suggests that for these groups, real-time, face-to-face interaction—even through a screen—is not just preferred, but essential. In contrast, the correlation with White, Asian, and Black or African American populations is more moderate, indicating a broader but less intense adoption.
Interestingly, this aligns with a 2021 CDC study that American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) adults were most likely to use telemedicine, with 40.6% of adults using it compared to the next highest group, non-Hispanic white at 39.2%. Notably, live video—the most widely adopted telemedicine avenue—shows the strongest correlation with this group’s mental health cases, suggesting that when mental health demands increase, the AIAN community turns to telehealth. Another explanation could be that expanded access to telehealth reveals otherwise undiagnosed mental health cases for these groups. These explanations prompt us to consider the role of telemedicine: is it meeting known mental health needs, or is it also helping to identify issues that might otherwise go untreated?
Two standout years emerged: 2018 and 2020
In 2018, Live Video adoption exploded with 78.9% year over year change, but mental health case growth was moderate for all groups. This suggests technology adoption can surge even without a matching spike in need.
2020 was a year where Live Video adoption rose in lockstep with need for AI/AN and Hispanic/Latino groups, but other channels (Text, Email, Picture/Video, Live Phone) saw sharp drops despite rising need—highlighting Live Video as the most crisis-responsive channel. This contrast suggests the impact of the pandemic on telemedicine use and mental health cases. It reveals the need for live video over other channels.
Working with BrightAgent opened up new questions: How can we make digital care more inclusive? What features or outreach could help underrepresented groups? And how can we keep iterating, using data not just to describe the present, but to shape a better future?
These patterns highlight the need for a nuanced approach to digital mental health care. As telemedicine becomes more embedded in our health system, understanding which channels resonate with which communities is crucial for closing gaps in access and ensuring that everyone can find the support they need, in the format that works best for them.
In summary:
Telemedicine is transforming mental health, but its impact isn't uniform: live video is the breakout channel with rising mental health needs, especially for American Indian or Alaska Native populations.
Understanding who turns to which telemedicine channels—and when—can help shape a more responsive and equitable mental health system.
2020 is a standout year with both mental health cases and telemedicine adoption peaking
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By Senna Reese - Go-To-Market Content Associate with a keen interest in how data can shape our communities. I am fascinated by the intersection of data analysis and social impact, and am always looking for new ways to apply data-driven insights to real-world insights.
Resources:
The data analysis in this article was created with help of BrightAgent using adoption rate of telemedicine in the U.S. by channel and mental health annual report accessed through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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