Alabama Ranks Third Worst in US for Mental Health: High Uninsured Rate and Lack of Treatment Centers Contributing to the Crisis

According to a recent survey by Forbes Advisor, Alabama ranks third worst 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. One in five American adults experience a mental health condition each year yet a majority of them are dissatisfied with 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.

To determine the rankings, Forbes Advisor used seven key metrics including percentage of adults with mental illness who are not receiving treatment and availability of treatment centers in the state. Alabama received a score of 87.6 out of 100 in this study.

The survey highlighted that Alabama has one of highest percentage of uninsured adults with mental illness at 17.9%, and also ranked fourth for percentage of adults who do not receive any treatment (62.4%), fifth for those who do not receive adequate treatment (35.4%). Additionally, 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 fewest number of mental health treatment centers per capita with only 12.46 per 10,000 businesses which highlights the challenges that residents face when seeking care and underscores the need for improved access and resources in the state.