ATLANTA – A new study ranks Georgia in the top ten states with the worst mental health care in the United States.

Release:

• Alabama is at the top of the list, with a score of just 61.43/100 
• Arizona and Texas are second and third, with scores of 61.87 and 62.23, respectively 
• The state with the best mental health care is Montana, scoring 75.53/100 

A new study has revealed the states with the worst mental health care, with Alabama at the top of the list.  

20.78% of US citizens live with a mental illness, which is equivalent to over 50 million people. Nationally, 45.3% receive treatment, 71.8% report that their needs are met and 89.2% are insured. 

Medical marijuana experts at Leafwell analyzed data from Mental Health America to determine which states provide the worst care for people living with mental illness. They used the following three factors to determine a score for each state: adults with AMI (any mental illness) who receive treatment; adults with AMI who report that their needs are met and adults with AMI who have medical insurance. 

Rank	State	Mental health care score
1	Alabama	61.43
2	Arizona	61.87
3	Texas	62.23
4	Nevada	63.67
5	Wyoming	64.7
6	Kansas	64.8
7	Georgia	65.23
8	Indiana	65.5
9	Florida	66.3
10	Colorado	66.63

At the top of the list is Alabama, with a score of 61.43/100. In the state, 797,000 adults suffer from mental health illness. Of these, only 37.6% receive treatment, leaving 478,000 without. 82.1% have medical insurance, and just 64.6% report that their needs are met. Overall, Alabama provides the worst support for mental health in the nation.  

Second is Arizona, scoring 61.87/100. Out of 1.34 million people living with a mental illness, 854,000 go untreated. That’s just 36.5% who do receive treatment, the second lowest percentage in the nation. Additionally, only 64% reported that their needs are met.  

Texas has the third worst mental health care in the US, with a score of 62.23/100. Only 78.6% of adults suffering with mental illness have medical insurance, the second lowest percentage in the nation. 37.7% have received treatment and 70.4% have had their needs met. In total, there are 3.83 million people with a mental illness in Texas.  

Next on the list, scoring 63.67/100 is Nevada. There are 508,000 people in the state who have a mental illness. It has the second lowest percentage of people who reported that their needs have been met, at 62.4%. 90% have medical insurance and 38.6% received treatment.  

With a score of 64.7/100, Wyoming is in fifth place. The percentage of those with a mental illness who are insured is just 75.3%, the lowest out of the states. 72.8% have had their needs met, while only 46% have received treatment. In total, there are 103,000 people in the state suffering with their mental health.  

In sixth place is Kansas, with a score of 64.8/100. Out of 560,000 adults with a mental health illness, only 64.2% have had their needs met. With 82.5% who have medical insurance, only 47.7% received treatment.  

Seventh on the list is Georgia, scoring 65.23/100. Out of 1.4 million adults in the state who have a mental health illness, 82.6% have medical insurance, 70.9% have their needs met and 42.2% have received treatment.  

Next on the list, scoring 65.5/100, is Indiana. The state has the lowest percentage in the nation of adults with a mental health illness who reported that their needs have been met, at just 61.2%. On top of this, only 48.8% have received treatment. There are 1.1 million adults in the state who struggle with their mental health, 86.5% of whom have medical insurance.  

Ninth is Florida, with a score of 66.3/100. There are 3 million adults suffering from a mental health illness in the state, with 86.4% having medical insurance, 70.9% reporting that their needs are met and 41.6% receiving treatment.  

In tenth place is Colorado, scoring 66.63/100. Out of all adults in the state with a mental health illness, 89.6% are insured, 65.8% report that their needs are met and 44.5% have received treatment.  

On the other hand, the state with the best mental health care is Montana, with a score of 75.53/100. Closely following are Wisconsin and Vermont, with scores of 75.5 and 74.83, respectively.  

Ohio has a score of 68.63/100. The percentage of adults with mental illness who receive treatment is 44.4. Additionally, 71.7% report that their needs are met and 89.8% have medical insurance.   

A spokesperson at Leafwell, has commented: 

 “This research is a call to action for all states, especially those at the top of the list, to evaluate and improve their mental health services. Continuous improvement, informed by research, patient feedback, and advances in mental health care, is essential.  

“Collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers, non-profits, and communities can lead to innovative solutions that address the complex needs of those with mental health illnesses. Additionally, public awareness campaigns and education about mental health can play a significant role in reducing stigma and making it easier for individuals to seek help. 

“Ultimately, the goal is to create a society where everyone has access to the mental health care they need, when they need it, in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.” 

This information was provided by Leafwell, experts in medical marijuana.