ATLANTA – A new study reveals that Georgia ranks in the top 5 states with the worst access to mental healthcare in America.
Release:
- Texas has the worst access to mental healthcare in America, with less than one mental health facility for every 100,000 residents.
- Georgia is fourth, with 1.52 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents.
- Hawaii has the second worst access to mental healthcare, with 1.18 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents, while Florida is third, with 1.52 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents.
- Alaska has the best access to mental healthcare in America, with 10.36 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents, nearly four times the national average.
A new study has revealed that Georgia is the state with the fourth worst access to mental healthcare in America.
MentalHealthRehabs.com, a national directory of mental health providers, analyzed data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to find which states have the best and worst access to mental healthcare. They did this by calculating the number of mental health facilities per 100,000 residents in each state.
1. Texas
Texas was found to offer the worst access to mental treatment facilities with just 0.99 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents.
This figure is 62% lower than the national average (2.61 facilities) and makes Texas the only state to average fewer than one mental health facility per 100,000 people. Overall, there are currently 297 mental health facilities in the Lone Star state, as of 2023.
2. Hawaii
Hawaii has the second worst access to mental healthcare in America by the number of mental health facilities per 100,000 residents. The Aloha State has 1.18 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents, which is less than half the national average. Overall, there are 17 mental health facilities serving Hawaii.
3. Florida
The state with the third worst access to mental healthcare in America is Florida, with 1.52 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents. This is 41.7% lower than the national average, and overall, there are 338 mental health facilities operating in the state.
4. Georgia
Georgia has the fourth worst access to mental healthcare in America, with 1.52 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents. There are 466 facilities serving Georgia, which is 41.6% lower than the national average, when calculated per 100,000 residents.
5. South Carolina
With 1.59 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents, South Carolina has the fifth worst access to mental healthcare in America. The Palmetto State’s figure is 39% lower than the national average, with 84 mental health facilities operating in the state.
6. California
California has the sixth worst access to mental healthcare in America, with 1.77 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents, 32% lower than the national average. Overall, 691 mental health facilities operate in California, which is the highest number of any state.
7. Alabama
Alabama has the seventh worst access to mental healthcare in America. The Yellowhammer State’s has 1.99 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents, which is 23.6% lower than the national average. Overall, there are 101 mental health facilities operating there.
8. Colorado
With 2.09 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents, Colorado has the eighth worst access to mental healthcare in America. The state is 19.8% lower than the national average of 2.61 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents. There are 122 mental health facilities operating in Colorado.
9. Illinois
Illinois has the ninth worst access to mental healthcare in America. The 266 mental health facilities in the state give an average of 2.11 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents, 18.8% lower than the national average.
10. North Carolina
North Carolina rounds out the list of states with the worst access to mental healthcare in America. North Carolina’s 230 mental health facilities equate to an average of 2.15 mental health facilities per 100,000 residents, 17.5% lower than the national average.
The study found that Alaska has the best access to mental healthcare in America. Alaska has 10.36 mental health facilities for every 100,000 residents, a figure nearly four times higher than the national average. Overall, there are 76 mental health facilities in Alaska.
Serene Gato, Editor of MentalHealthRehabs.com, commented on the findings:
“Mental health facilities can be critical in helping people with mental health difficulties receive the support they so desperately need. While it may not provide patients with all the answers to their problems, help from a mental health professional can provide a framework for people to manage their condition and see an improvement in their mental health.
“Being able to access these services is half the battle. The higher the number of mental health facilities serving a population, the greater the chances people can find the support they need.
“Texas certainly has room to improve, given that it has less than half the national average number of facilities, and it is the only state to have less than one mental health facility for every 100,000 residents.”
Table: Number of mental health facilities per 100,000 residents in each state ranked highest to lowest
| Rank | State | Mental Health Facilities per 100k | Difference to National Average | Number of Mental Health Facilities | Population |
| 1. | Alaska | 10.36 | +297.7% | 76 | 733,583 |
| 2. | Maine | 7.94 | +204.8% | 110 | 1,385,340 |
| 3. | Vermont | 6.65 | +155.1% | 43 | 647,064 |
| 4. | West Virginia | 6.03 | +131.4% | 107 | 1,775,156 |
| 5. | Wyoming | 6.02 | +131.1% | 35 | 581,381 |
| 6. | Nebraska | 5.74 | +120.4% | 113 | 1,967,923 |
| 7. | Utah | 5.47 | +110.1% | 185 | 3,380,800 |
| 8. | Montana | 5.34 | +105.1% | 60 | 1,122,867 |
| 9. | Arizona | 4.69 | +80% | 345 | 7,359,197 |
| 10. | Connecticut | 4.44 | +70.4% | 161 | 3,626,205 |
| 11. | Ohio | 4.35 | +66.9% | 511 | 11,756,058 |
| 12. | Kentucky | 4.34 | +66.7% | 196 | 4,512,310 |
| 13. | Arkansas | 4.17 | +60.1% | 127 | 3,045,637 |
| 14. | South Dakota | 3.85 | +47.7% | 35 | 909,824 |
| 15. | Wisconsin | 3.7 | +42% | 218 | 5,892,539 |
| 16. | Indiana | 3.63 | +39.3% | 248 | 6,833,037 |
| 17. | Minnesota | 3.59 | +37.6% | 205 | 5,717,184 |
| 18. | New Hampshire | 3.58 | +37.6% | 50 | 1,395,231 |
| 19. | Mississippi | 3.5 | +34.5% | 103 | 2,940,057 |
| 20. | North Dakota | 3.46 | +33.0% | 27 | 779,261 |
| 21. | Washington | 3.42 | +31.1% | 266 | 7,785,786 |
| 22. | Maryland | 3.29 | +26.4% | 203 | 6,164,660 |
| 23. | Idaho | 3.15 | +20.8% | 61 | 1,939,033 |
| 24. | Delaware | 3.14 | +20.6% | 32 | 1,018,396 |
| 25. | New Mexico | 3.12 | +19.9% | 66 | 2,113,344 |
| 26. | Pennsylvania | 2.97 | +13.9% | 385 | 12,972,008 |
| 27. | Iowa | 2.94 | +12.7% | 94 | 3,200,517 |
| 28. | Oklahoma | 2.84 | +8.9% | 114 | 4,019,800 |
| 29. | Kansas | 2.79 | +7.2% | 82 | 2,937,150 |
| 30. | Massachusetts | 2.75 | +5.6% | 192 | 6,981,974 |
| 31. | Louisiana | 2.74 | +5.4% | 126 | 4,590,241 |
| 32. | Missouri | 2.67 | +2.5% | 165 | 6,177,957 |
| 33. | Tennessee | 2.65 | +1.8% | 187 | 7,051,339 |
| 34. | Michigan | 2.65 | +1.8% | 266 | 10,034,113 |
| 35. | New York | 2.6 | -0.1% | 512 | 19,677,151 |
