New MHA report gives poor outlook for mental health in the United States

By AIM Youth Board Advisory Member

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September 14, 2023

EMILY BOERGER | Nov 16, 2017

On Wednesday, Mental Health America (MHA) released their latest State of Mental Health Report. The report ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of the mental health status of their adult and youth residents. The state’s mental health status is determined by the prevalence of mental health issues, substance use issues, and access and barriers to mental health care that residents experience.

On a national level, the report shows that 18 percent of adults have a mental health condition (over 43 million Americans), and 56 percent of those American adults do not seek treatment. The report also shows that youth mental health is worsening. In the past 5 years, the number of youth with severe depression has risen from 5.9 percent to 8.2 percent.

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