All US states offer mental health care services to residents, but expected care differs from state to state. Some US states have the best mental health care services to guarantee overall wellness; find your state on the list!
Good mental health is integral to overall wellness as the body cannot function properly without a healthy mind. The fundamental link between mental and physical health makes psychological healthcare an in-demand practice in America.
The mental health care sector is not likely to lack patronage anytime soon according to data from different studies.
Several reports show that at least 1 in 5 American adults was suffering from a mental illness in 2020. Other reports show that about 4 in 10 American adults reported experiencing signs of depression and anxiety in 2021.
But which US states have the best mental health care?
In this article, you will get all the required information to know which states offer the best mental health care to residents. Four different sections are in this article to provide better insights into factors used to measure good mental healthcare services.
5 Best US States for Mental Health Care: Overall Rankings
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A Health Care Insider survey ranked the ten (10) best states with professional mental health care services and they are:
1. Maryland
Maryland currently ranks in the ten best states with professional health care in America. With its suicide rate at 10.8 per 100,000, it boasts one of the lowest deaths caused by mental illness among US states.
Besides, Maryland ranks high among states with low cost, high-quality mental health care services. It also has an impressive rating among states in the access to mental health care rankings.
2. Virginia
People who seek mental health care in Virginia can access these services at low cost and get high-quality assistance from professionals. Virginia currently has one of the best health care system in America and records very low mental health-related suicides per 100,000 residents.
The state also has very low out-of-pocket average expenditure for patients seeking mental health care. Virginia also provides some of the largest mental health expenditures per capita to secure proper care for her residents.
3. Massachusetts
Massachusetts ranks lowest among states with uninsured patients that seek mental health care services. It also boasts one of America’s strongest health care infrastructure networks, making it a suitable place to access medical assistance.
4. Vermont
Vermont ranks in the top 10 US states with low mental health care costs, high access to care and quality medical assistance received.
Suicide rates in the state are lower than 20 per 100,000 people. The state also has many mental health care institutions at several locations that guarantee easy access.
5. Minnesota
The state of Minnesota ranks 16th among US states in health care rankings. Apart from being in the top 30% of America’s best states for health care, Minnesota boasts of a low suicide rate.
Figures from a CDC survey show that Minnesota has a 14.7 suicide rate per 100,000 residents. Such a low figure combined with easy access to healthcare services makes this state a top choice for psychological care and assistance.
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Metrics to Measure US States that Have the Best Mental Health Care
You can measure US states with the best mental health care with three major metrics. These metrics are:
- Service costs – shows the mean costs of requesting mental health care services in a state
- Access to care – determines if a person with mental illness can get access to care easily
- Quality of care received – the average attention a mental health care patient is expected to receive
Service Costs
Expensive mental health care costs in states can discourage residents in need of such assistance. These metrics help determine if a state’s mental health care infrastructure is affordable for residents:
- Personal expenses from adults seeking mental health care
- Uninsured mental health care
- Health insurance premium (% of income)
- Adults reporting no access to mental health care due to high costs
- State-level mental health expenditure per capital
- Median cost of 1hr psychotherapy consultation
States with low service cost numbers usually report more patients seeking mental health care assistance.
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Access to Care
The following parameters are considered to define if people with mental illness get quality access to care:
- Mental health care providers per capita
- Mental health office quota from all businesses
- Adults with serious mental health problems without treatment
- Adults without mental health and no insurance
States with high access to care numbers normally report more patients seeking psychological therapy, counselling, and medical intervention.
Quality of Care Received
People with mental illnesses don’t just need access to care, they need high-quality assistance for better results. The following metrics helps estimate if mental health patients in a state receive quality care or not:
- Number of adults reporting mental illness in the last 12 months
- Mean number of days with poor mental health experience every month
- Substance/alcohol usage disorders in the last 12 months
- Suicide rates
- Death rates from drug overdose
- Hospital readmission rates every 6 months
- Psychiatric hospital bed count per capita
States with high quality of care numbers record lesser relapses among residents and lower suicide rates.
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List of 10 US States with the Worst Mental Health Care
Providing details on the best states to access mental health care in America will be unbalanced without worst state ratings. Check the list below for the US states with poor mental health care ratings overall.
- West Virginia
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- Texas
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Idaho
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- Mississippi
These states currently have the lowest numbers after considering cost, access, and quality of mental health care.
Conclusion
Ranking US states that have the best mental health care services provides valuable information to healthcare professionals and residents. Recent numbers show a jump in suicidal ideations and access to professional psychological treatment and therapy is essential.
Access to timely mental health care treatment makes it easy to reduce its harmful effect on residents. States with poor mental health care ratings need to invest more in this sector to improve residents’ psychological wellbeing.
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