Report ranks Hawaii at bottom of states for access to care among mentally ill adults

(Image: Hawaii News Now)
(Image: Hawaii News Now)
Updated: Nov. 2, 2018 at 2:42 PM HST
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii’s prevalence of mental illness is among the lowest in the nation.

Even so, thousands of Hawaii adults and youth with mental illnesses don’t get treatment.

In fact, according to the newly-released “State of Mental Health in America” report, Hawaii ranks dead last in the nation for access to care among adults with mental illness.

Some 68 percent of Hawaii adults with a mental illness didn’t get any mental health treatment, the report said.

That compares to 56 percent nationally, and 42 percent in the top-ranked state: Maine.

The picture isn’t any better for youth.

About 67.5 percent of Hawaii youth with major depression don’t get any mental health treatment, the report said.

That puts Hawaii 47th worst in the nation for the measure.

The bottom-ranked state: Texas, where 71 percent of youth with major depression don’t get treatment.

Meanwhile, Hawaii also ranked among the bottom of states when it comes to the percentage of youth with severe depression who get consistent treatment. Hawaii’s rate: Just 19 percent.

Nationally, more than 44 million American adults have a mental health condition. That translates to about 18 percent of all Americans.

The prevalence is lower in Hawaii: About 15.5 percent, or 165,000 adults.

Among youth, about 11 percent have had at least one major depressive episode in the last year, according to the report. Nationally, the figure is 13 percent.

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