“What’s happening in our society is not a mental illness. It’s a social illness. Hate and anger are not mental illnesses.”

-Joe Parks, Medical Director, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

The National Council Medical Director Institute is excited to introduce an update to the groundbreaking paper Mass Violence in the United States: Definition, Prevalence, Causes, Impacts and Solutions.

This report challenges common misconceptions about the relationship between mental illness and mass violence, offering evidence-based insights into this complex issue. Key takeaways include:

• Mass violence is a serious and growing public health concern in the U.S.

• Most mass violence perpetrators do not have major psychiatric disorders.

• The link between mental illness and violence is modest and limited to specific conditions.

• Interventions known to be effective in understanding and preventing mass violence have not yet been widely adopted.

• Establishing multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment and management teams can help reduce the risk of mass violence.

The paper is an essential resource for mental health professionals and other stakeholders seeking to understand and address mass violence, reduce discrimination against those with mental health conditions and effectively support people who are struggling.

Download the paper now to access the full findings and recommendations, including effective strategies for addressing mass violence, future research needs, and tips for working with the media, courts and law enforcement.