While many across the United States experience mental health conditions that require treatment and support, access to care can vary drastically state by state. High costs, limited access to treatment centers and providers and a lack of health insurance are just a few barriers residents face.
A report by Forbes Advisor recently ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia to spotlight the best and worst locales for mental health care. To build the ranking, seven factors were considered: The percentage of adults with a mental illness who do not receive treatment at all; the percentage of adults with a mental illness who do not receive adequate treatment; the percentage of adults who are struggling with mental health and could not see a doctor due to cost; the percentage of youth with depression who do not receive mental health services; the percentage of adults with a mental illness who are uninsured; the percentage of youth with private health insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems; and the number of mental health treatment centers per 10,000 businesses. From there, each state was ranked and given a total score out of 100, with a higher score signifying worse outcomes in that locale.
