Mental Health America just released its annual assessment of Americans with mental illness, the treatment they receive and the resources available to them — and the conclusions are sobering: Twenty percent of adults (43.7 million) have a mental health condition, and more than half of them do not receive treatment. Among youth, the rates of depression are rising, but 80 percent of children and adolescents either get insufficient treatment or none at all.
“Once again, our report shows that too many Americans are suffering and far too many are not receiving the treatment they need to live healthy and productive lives,” Paul Gionfriddo, president of the national community-based nonprofit, said in a statement. “We must improve access to care and treatments, and we need to put a premium on early identification and early intervention for everyone with mental health concerns.”
Mental Health America ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia on 15 different measures, including adults with any mental illness, youth with at least one major depressive episode in the past year and mental-health workforce availability. Despite more Americans being insured, the report found a dire need for adequate treatment, especially in the Deep South.
Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama had the least access to care for the mentally ill and the highest rates of imprisonment, with a total of more than 57,000 incarcerated men and women in those states suffering mental-health conditions.
