According to Forbes Advisor, Alabama ranks as the third worst state in the United States for mental health care. One of the factors contributing to this ranking is that over half of Alabama residents with mental illness do not receive treatment due to cost. The state is not alone in facing mental health care challenges in the South, as six of its neighboring states – Texas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina – also rank in the top 10 worst states for mental health care.
The top spot for the second consecutive year goes to Texas. Mental Health America reports that one in five American adults experience a mental health condition each year, but three-fourths of them are dissatisfied with the state of mental health treatment and over half receive no treatment at all. To determine state rankings, Forbes Advisor considered seven metrics including percentages of adults with mental illness receiving no treatment, inability to access a doctor due to cost, lack of services for youth with depression, and insufficient insurance coverage for mental health issues.
In terms of these metrics, Texas scored highest on insufficient insurance coverage for mental health issues and had one of the highest percentages of adults with private health insurance that does not cover mental and emotional problems (24.6%). The state also placed fourth in the percentage of adults with mental illness who are uninsured (17.8%) and fifth in the percentage of adults receiving inadequate treatment (35%). However, Texas has lower rates when it comes to accessing a doctor due to cost (38% compared to 40% nationally) and fewer youths with depression receiving services (29% compared to 31% nationally).
Georgia followed closely behind Texas as the second worst state for mental health care. Mental Health America reported that Georgia has one of the highest percentages of adults with serious psychiatric disorders unable to see a doctor due to cost (40%) and also ranks high on several other metrics such as lack of services for youths with depression (28%) and insufficient insurance coverage for those who need it most (26%). However, like Texas, Georgia has higher rates when it comes to accessing a doctor due to cost (39%) and lower rates on other metrics such as uninsured individuals who have a serious psychiatric disorder (14%, compared to 15% nationally).
Alabama scored 87.6 out of 100 in Forbes Advisor’s survey. The state had one of the highest percentages among states without adequate treatment options: 62.4%. Additionally, Alabama ranks fourth in uninsured individuals who have a serious psychiatric disorder at 17.9%, fifth in individuals receiving an unsatisfactory level of treatment at 35%, sixth among states where children can’t see doctors because they don’t have insurance at 27%, eighth among states where children can’t see doctors because they can’t afford them at 36%, ninth among states without enough treatment centers at 12
