Silent Struggles Americans Face: States With Best Mental Health Support

• Maine has been revealed as the state with the best access to mental health services
• Vermont is second, while New Hampshire is third
• Alabama ranks as the worst state for access to mental health services
• Simone Biles’ documentary Rising has sparked a broader conversation about athletes and mental health, encouraging many non-athletes to seek support too

A new study has named the states with the best access to mental health services and treatments, with Maine taking the top spot.

Behavioral health treatment center, The Dawn Rehab Thailand, analyzed state mental health data, including in-state call answer rates for the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline and the amount of money the state’s mental health agency spends per capita. Each state received scores out of ten for each factor, which contributed to the final ranking.

Maine is named the state with the best access to mental health services, with a final score of 73.75. The Pine Tree State has the highest percentage of depressed youths who received consistent treatment at 65.6%, scoring a perfect 10 for this category. Maine also received a score of 10 for mental health spending at $362.75 per capita, an increase of 906% compared to Florida, which has the lowest at $36.05.

Vermont is second, with a final score of 66.89. Vermont has the second lowest percentage of children with private insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems at 2.1%, earning a score of 9.87. Furthermore, the state has the second highest mental health expenditure at $324.28 per person, leading to a score of 8.82.

In third is New Hampshire, with a final score of 64.76. The Granite State earns a high score of 8.06 for suicide and crisis call answer rates; between April and May 2023, New Hampshire received 2,153 calls and answered 89.5% of them. Additionally, the state has a score of 8.48 for the percentage of children not insured for mental health problems, which is only 4.3%.

Montana is a close fourth, with a final score of 64.51. Montana has the third highest suicide and crisis answer rates alongside Indiana at 95.4%, earning a score of 9.44. The percentage of adults with any mental illness reporting their needs as unmet stands at only 21.5% in Montana, scoring the state 6.33 in this category.

In fifth is Massachusetts, with a final score of 64.37. Only 1.9% of children in the Bay State are not insured for mental health issues, the lowest in the US, awarding a perfect score of 10. Moreover, Massachusetts scores a respectable 7.99 for crisis line answer rates, answering 89.2% of calls.

Connecticut is sixth, with a final score of 63.22. The state has a high score of 8.99 for children not insured for mental health issues at just 3.5%.

In seventh isHawaii, with a final score of 60.04. The Aloha State has the lowest percentage of adults with any mental illness reporting unmet needs at 14.9%, awarding them a score of 10.

Eighth is New York, with a final score of 59.95. New York receives a fair score of 6.58 for mental health expenditure, spending $251.12 per capita.

New Jersey is ninth, with a final score of 59.63. Only 5% of children are not insured for mental health problems, earning a score of 8.04.

In tenth is Minnesota, with a final score of 58.87. 85.6% of calls to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline were answered, scoring 7.15.

Helen Wells, Clinical Director at The Dawn Rehab Thailand, has commented on the findings:

“Mental health issues can impact anyone, regardless of age, gender, or where you’re from. If left untreated, these issues can spiral and there is a higher risk of loss of life. Having access to high quality mental health treatments is fundamental for people to receive the help that they need.

“The data suggest that the East Coast prioritizes mental health treatment by providing access to these services, with six of the ranking states residing here. The findings should encourage states outside of the top ten to re-evaluate their efforts and focus on offering better support.” 

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