People across the United States suffer from a wide range of mental health issues, from mood disorders to psychosis to addictions. To address this public health concern, the government funds programs like support groups, care facilities, and other resources. State mental health agencies can provide some excellent services, but the amount of money that they …
People across the United States suffer from a wide range of mental health issues, from mood disorders to psychosis to addictions. To address this public health concern, the government funds programs like support groups, care facilities, and other resources.
State mental health agencies can provide some excellent services, but the amount of money that they invest can also vary greatly from state to state. In this post, we’ll explore data on the state mental health agencies that spend the most and the least on mental health services per capita.
State Mental Health Agencies (SMHA) are the administration bodies in each state that oversee a mental health budget and ensure that those funds go to helping millions of people in need every year.
The structure of SMHAs varies widely among states. In some states these agencies are grouped within larger departments like health departments or departments of human services, while in other states they’re independent. In some states the head of the SMHA is appointed directly by the governor, while in others they report to higher department heads. SMHAs can even vary in which mental health issues they cover—whether they’re responsible for alcohol/drug treatment services, developmental disability services, or other disability services, for instance.
There are 3 main ways that state mental health agencies spend their funds. The most common recipients of funds are local community-based mental health providers. These are frequently not-for-profit organizations that specialize in one service, like a mental health hotline or a crisis assessment and treatment center. Even when these mental health providers are contracted by the government, they usually work independently.
The second method agencies use is to fund smaller mental health authorities in local governments, like the city or county level. Much in the same way the national government funds state mental health agencies to oversee their region, states delegate funds to even smaller governments. This can be helpful in addressing the concerns specific to different areas.
The final method that state agencies use is to run mental health services through state-operated providers. With this method, government employees and resources are used to directly assist people with government-run mental health centers, counseling services, and a variety of other programs. This approach is much more involved, but it allows the agency to have more control of the services.
States use all 3 of these methods to some extent, even if they choose one method on which to focus most of their resources.
Below is a table on State Mental Health Agency (SMHA) Per Capita Mental Health Services Expenditures for the 2013 fiscal year. This gives us a proportional look at how much money states spend on mental health for every member of their population. The data is taken from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute.
Location | SMHA Expenditures Per Capita | Footnotes |
|---|---|---|
United States | $119.62 | |
Alabama | $72.64 | |
Alaska | $341.08 | |
Arizona | $205.23 | |
Arkansas | $45.56 | 1 |
California | $160.50 | 2 |
Colorado | $98.80 | 1, 2 |
Connecticut | $216.76 | 1, 3 |
Delaware | $96.53 | 3 |
District of Columbia | $306.87 | |
Florida | NR | |
Georgia | $59.33 | 2 |
Hawaii | $131.77 | |
Idaho | $32.77 | |
Illinois | $72.44 | |
Indiana | $70.67 | |
Iowa | $142.38 | |
Kansas | $125.47 | |
Kentucky | $55.06 | |
Louisiana | $55.50 | |
Maine | $345.36 | 2 |
Maryland | $178.82 | 2 |
Massachusetts | $110.33 | 1 |
Michigan | $130.10 | |
Minnesota | $177.88 | |
Mississippi | $55.95 | 1 |
Missouri | $99.40 | |
Montana | $208.32 | |
Nebraska | $89.75 | |
Nevada | $89.41 | |
New Hampshire | $138.40 | |
New Jersey | $208.90 | |
New Mexico | NR | |
New York | $260.78 | 2 |
North Carolina | $97.08 | |
North Dakota | $88.53 | |
Ohio | $100.29 | 1 |
Oklahoma | $53.01 | |
Oregon | $183.80 | |
Pennsylvania | $287.17 | 1 |
Rhode Island | $106.11 | |
South Carolina | $58.35 | |
South Dakota | $84.13 | |
Tennessee | $87.48 | |
Texas | $40.65 | 2 |
Utah | $70.86 | 2 |
Vermont | $291.70 | |
Virginia | $92.58 | 2 |
Washington | $113.67 | |
West Virginia | $94.44 | 1 |
Wisconsin | $113.05 | 2 |
Wyoming | $118.80 | 1 |
Puerto Rico | $19.02 | 1 |
Footnote 1. Medicaid Revenues for Community Programs are not included in SMHA-Controlled Expenditures. | ||
Footnote 2. SMHA-Controlled Expenditures include funds for mental health services in jails or prisons. | ||
Footnote 3. Children's Mental Health Expenditures are not included in SMHA-Controlled Expenditures. | ||
The amount that mental health agencies spend from state-to-state varies widely. The national average per person is $119.62, but it can range from almost $350 per person in Maine, to less than $20 per person in the territory of Puerto Rico. With the rest of this data we can analyze the highest-spending and lowest-spending states on mental health resources in the US.
Maine ($345.36)
Maine spends more on mental health per capita than any other state in the nation. Their mental health agency lies within their Department of Health and Human Services. They organize their own services, such as those in the Office of Behavioral Health, but also contract with outside mental health service providers like 211 Maine.
Alaska ($341.08)
Alaska’s spending on mental health per capita is right up there with Maine’s. Alaska in particular struggles with mental health and has high suicide rates. Certain resources may also be less accessible because they are spread out across Alaska’s vast landmass.
Vermont ($291.70)
Vermont spends the third most per capita on mental health resources. Their Department of Mental Health in the Agency of Human Services funds a number of services, many in conjunction with the National Alliance on Mental Illness nonprofit.
Pennsylvania ($287.17)
Pennsylvania spends the fourth most per capita on mental health. The state has an Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, but also delegates the administration of resources to large city governments like the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.
New York ($260.78)
As one of the most populous states in the country, New York uses its massive budget to care for the mental health of its citizens. The New York State Office of Mental Health funds many of these resources. New York City, which houses about 40% of the state’s total population, also has its own resources within the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.
Idaho ($32.77)
Idaho struggles to provide mental health resources for its residents, many of whom live rural areas with less access to help. Their mental health care expenditures per capita are less than a third of the national average.
Texas ($40.65)
The state of Texas spends the second least on mental health services per capita. As the second most populous state, its resources are spread across large numbers of people in both urban and rural areas. The state delegates its mental health resources to the local health authorities of different counties in place of larger oversight.
Arkansas ($45.56)
The Arkansas Department of Human Service spends $45.56 on mental health resources per capita. They fund nonprofit mental health providers that specialize in mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability issues. Despite these efforts, underfunding makes it difficult for them to reach rural populations that struggle with mental health.
Oklahoma ($53.01)
Oklahoma allocates $53.01 per capita to mental health services, one of the lowest in the country. The state’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services manages these funds, focusing on a range of services, including crisis intervention, substance abuse treatment, and support for those with severe mental illnesses.
Kentucky ($55.06)
Kentucky spends $55.06 per capita on mental health services, placing it among the states with the lowest mental health care expenditures. The Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities oversees the distribution of these funds, and coordinates with regional mental health centers and other providers.
The data clearly show a big difference in mental health spending across the United States, with some states investing heavily in their mental health services and others falling behind. These differences can impact the accessibility and quality of care that residents receive, especially in states with lower expenditures where resources are stretched thin, often across rural areas. Addressing these disparities is crucial for improving public health outcomes and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of where they live, have access to the mental health care they need.
