Georgia Ranked Second-Worst State for Mental Health Care in 2024: High Costs, Limited Treatment Centers and Lack of Health Insurance Coverage Plague the Region

According to a recent study, Georgia has been ranked as one of the top 5 worst states for mental health care in 2024. Accessing affordable mental health treatment is a major challenge for Americans all across the country, with over half of adults with a mental illness not receiving any treatment and more than one in four not receiving adequate treatment, according to Mental Health America.

Several states face additional challenges when it comes to accessing mental health care. High costs, limited treatment centers, and lack of health insurance coverage are some of the factors that make it difficult for people to get the help they need. To determine which states are the worst in terms of mental health care, Forbes Advisor compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across seven key metrics.

Georgia was found to be the second-worst state for mental health care. Texas was ranked as the worst state due to having the second highest percentage of uninsured adults with a mental illness and the second highest percentage of youth with depression not receiving mental health services. Following Texas and Georgia were Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and several other states that struggled with accessing mental health care.

In Georgia specifically, there were several factors that contributed to its ranking as one of the worst states for mental health care. The state had the highest percentage of adults unable to see a doctor for mental health due to cost and had only a few hundred more treatment centers than California – which has nearly twice as many residents – despite having much less funding dedicated towards their operations. This shortage in resources means that many Georgians are struggling to find affordable or accessible mental health services in their area.

The full report on this topic can be found here on Forbes Advisor’s website. It includes detailed methodology information as well as infographics that help explain why certain states were ranked where they were.

Overall, this study highlights how important it is for policymakers and healthcare providers at both the federal and state level to address these challenges faced by individuals seeking accessible and affordable mental health care options.