ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New York, Hawaii, and New Jersey ranked best in the nation across common measures of mental health in 2022 and 2023, according to the latest State of Mental Health in America report from Mental Health America. Nevada, Arizona, and Alabama ranked lowest, with higher rates of mental illness and lower access to mental health care in 2022 and 2023. This is the second report in a row where Nevada and Arizona ranked the lowest, underscoring a high need for strategic investment in mental health in these states. 

Using the most recent publicly available federal data, the 2025 State of Mental Health in America report ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 17 measures of mental health – including rates of mental health and substance use conditions, suicidal ideation, and provider availability. The findings provide an annual snapshot of mental health needs, access, and outcomes in the U.S., helping to inform policy, program planning, analysis, and evaluation. 

“This report gives us a foundation to build better strategies, advocate for smarter policies, and target resources where they are needed most to address the ongoing mental health crisis in this country,” said Mary Giliberti, J.D., interim president and CEO of Mental Health America. “By using these facts to fuel action, we can best support the individuals and communities the data represent, moving from awareness to lasting change.”

For over 10 years, the State of Mental Health in America report has given states meaningful data to inform public health strategies. According to this year’s report, people in the South and states with more rural populations continue to face the greatest gaps in access to mental health care. For instance, nearly 20% of adults with any mental illness in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Texas were uninsured in 2022 and 2023, compared to only 4% in Vermont, Maryland, and Rhode Island. And nearly 40% of adults with any mental illness living in Wisconsin, Utah, and Wyoming reported that they did not receive the mental health care they needed in 2022 and 2023, compared to only 13% in Maine and 16% in Arkansas.

In addition to state-level rankings, the State of Mental Health in America report also compiles the most recent national data on trends in mental health and wellbeing. The report analyzes data from across numerous federal datasets, with most measures reflecting combined data from 2022 and 2023 (the most recently available state-level data), and some measures reflecting 2024 data. Key findings from the latest report include:

• The prevalence of mental health concerns among adults in the U.S. remained stable from 2021 to 2024, but these rates are still unacceptably high.
  • In 2024, nearly 1 in 4 (23.40%) of adults in the U.S. experienced any mental illness, 17.70% had a substance use disorder, and 5.50% reported experiencing serious thoughts of suicide.
    
    
• Access remains a major barrier to care in the U.S. 
  • In 2022 and 2023, 25% of adults with any mental illness reported an unmet need for mental health treatment in the past year, and 77.09% of all adults with a substance use disorder did not receive treatment. Further, 9.20% of adults with any mental illness were uninsured, totaling over 5 million people.
    
    
• Mental health among youth (ages 12-17) in the U.S. improved significantly from 2023 to 2024. Continued support is needed to sustain these trends.
  • 15.40% of youth experienced a major depressive episode in 2024 (compared to 18.10% in 2023). While this marks an important improvement, 11.30% of youth (2.8 million) experienced a major depressive episode with severe impairment in 2024, meaning it severely impacted their functioning at work, school, or home. 
  • 10.10% of youth reported serious thoughts of suicide in 2024 (compared to 12.30% in 2023). While this marks an important improvement, nearly 3 million youth still reported serious thoughts of suicide in 2024, highlighting the need for sustained investment in both crisis care and upstream suicide prevention among youth.
  • 28.60% of youth did not have a preventive health visit in 2022 and 2023, representing a missed opportunity for prevention and screening. That totaled over 7 million young people in the U.S., and highlights an important opportunity for improvement.

This year’s State of Mental Health in America report is being published in tandem with a Youth Spotlight, which offers tools and strategies to help states turn their rankings into local action that improves lives, How to go from data to action: Spotlight on youth mental health advocacy. The Spotlight was created by Mental Health America’s Young Leaders Council (YLC), a cohort of 10 young advocates, ages 18–25, from across the country. By sharing personal stories of advocacy, the Spotlight shows how young people are already turning awareness into action and provides strategies and inspiration for others to follow.

“It is encouraging to see signs of improvement in youth mental health, and that progress is exactly why we cannot take our foot off of the gas pedal,” said Maddy Reinert, senior director of population health at Mental Health America. “The data continue to show that the overall need for mental health care remains high, while access still falls short for too many. To make lasting progress, we must continue to invest in proven strategies that support people at every stage of life, and every step of their mental health journey.”

Rankings reported in the State of Mental Health in America report are based on the most recent federal data from agencies including the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Education. 

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you are interested in seeking support for mental health, drug, or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

About Mental Health America: Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-driven nonprofit dedicated to promotion of mental health, well-being, and prevention. Mental Health America’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of whole person health, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; and integrated care, services and supports for those who need them. Learn more at MHAnational.org.

Rachel Evans
Mental Health America
703-517-7124
revans@mhanational.org