In the latest ranking by Forbes Advisor, Alabama has been revealed as the third worst state in the US for mental health. The state faces several challenges in this area, including the fact that over half of its residents with mental illness do not receive treatment due to cost. This is a common issue in the South, where six out of the top 10 worst states for mental health care are located, including Texas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Texas holds the top spot for the second year in a row, followed closely by Georgia. The statistics show that one in five American adults experience a mental health condition each year, yet a large majority of them are dissatisfied with the current state of mental health treatment. More than half of these individuals do not receive any treatment at all, as reported by Mental Health America.
Forbes Advisor used seven key metrics to determine the rankings. These included the percentage of adults with mental illness who are not receiving treatment, the number of adults unable to see a doctor due to cost, and the availability of treatment centers in the state. Alabama received a score of 87.6 out of 100 in this study.
The survey highlighted several issues specific to Alabama’s mental health system. The state has one of the highest percentages of uninsured adults with mental illness at 17.9%. Additionally, it ranks fourth for adults who do not receive any treatment (62.4%), and fifth for those who do not receive adequate treatment (35.4%). Furthermore, Alabama ranks sixth for youth with private insurance that does not cover mental health and eighth for adults who cannot see a doctor due to cost.
Overall, Alabama has one of the fewest numbers of mental health treatment centers per capita compared to other states in the US. There are only 12
