Alabama is the 3rd worst state for mental health, Forbes Advisor says

Alabama is the third worst state in the U.S. for mental health, according to Forbes Advisor.

The site is out with its annual survey, and the state placed near the top for several factors, such as the fact that more than half of its residents with mental illness don’t receive treatment due to cost.

But it isn’t alone in the South, according to the magazine. Six of the top 10 worst states for mental health care are its neighbors, including Texas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina.

Texas tops the list for the second year in a row, followed by Georgia.

According to Forbes, one in five American adults experience a mental health condition every year.

Yet three-fourths of them are dissatisfied with the state of mental health treatment, and more than half receive no treatment at all, according to Mental Health America.

To rank the states, Forbes Advisor used seven metrics: percentages of adults with mental illness receiving no treatment, those unable to see a doctor due to cost, youth with depression who receive no services, adults who are uninsured, youth with insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems, and the number of treatment centers per 10,000 businesses.

According to Forbes Advisor, Alabama scored 87.6 out of 100.

The survey said Alabama has the third highest percentage of adults with mental illness who are uninsured, at 17.9%.

The state also has the fourth highest percentage of adults (62.4%) with a mental illness who do not receive any treatment, and the fifth highest percentage of adults with a mental illness who do not receive adequate treatment, at 35.4%.

Alabama places sixth for youth with private health insurance which does not cover mental and emotional problems, and eighth in the percentage of adults with a mental health disorder who can’t see a doctor because of cost.

The state also has the eighth fewest mental health treatment centers, with 12.46 per 10,000 businesses.