As our country continues to face a mental health crisis and overdose epidemic, increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment must be a significant priority for policymakers, patients, providers, and advocates. These conditions are prevalent among adults 65 years and older, with an estimated 6.5 million experiencing a mental illness and 4.3 million experiencing a substance use disorder in 2021. The prevalence of substance use disorders is about 4 times higher for Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 compared to those 65 years and older.