The total number of psychiatric beds in mental health organizations in the United States increased 2 percent between 1984 and 1986, from 262,673 to 267,613. This was in contrast to a 4 percent decrease observed nationally in all non-Federal hospital beds between 1984 and 1986. As a result, non-Federal psychiatric beds comprised 20 percent of non-Federal hospital beds in 1986, compared to 19 percent in 1984. The overall growth in psychiatric beds between 1984 and 1986 was due to increases in psychiatric beds in VA medical centers, private psychiatric hospitals, and residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children (RTCs) which more than offset smaller decreases in psychiatric beds noted in State and county mental hospitals, multiservice mental health organizations, and separate psychiatric services of non-Federal general hospitals. Between 1984 and 1986, the national pattern of an increase in psychiatric beds was reflected in 31 States, while the remaining 19 States and the District of Columbia showed decreases in psychiatric beds during this period. Among the States, the availability of psychiatric beds, measured by bed rates per 100,000 civilian population, varied substantially in 1986. Twenty-seven States and the District of Columbia had 100 or more beds per 100,000 population, while 8 States had fewer than 75 beds per 100,000 population. Although the number of State and county mental hospital beds decreased between 1984 and 1986, these facilities accounted for 45 percent of all psychiatric beds in 1986. In the number of psychiatric beds available, State and county mental hospitals predominated in all but seven States. Nationally, the separate psychiatric inpatient services of non-Federal general hospitals ranked second in number of psychiatric beds in 1986, with 17 percent of the total; followed by private psychiatric hospitals, with 11 percent; VA medical centers, with 10 percent; RTCs, with 9 percent; and multiservice mental health organizations, with 8 percent.