ONC Data Brief on EHR Adoption Among Substance Use and Mental Health Facilities

In a new data brief, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) shows that behavioral health providers have largely adopted electronic health records (EHRs)—68% use EHRs exclusively, with another 25% combining EHRs and paper records—marking strong progress in digitization. However, use of EHRs for care coordination and data exchange remains limited: only 19% of facilities participate in a health information exchange (HIE), and many report low awareness of HIE options. Adoption also varies widely by ownership, with state-run facilities significantly trailing federal and private providers, highlighting ongoing gaps in interoperability and infrastructure.