COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio ranks among the top states for overall mental health outcomes, but millions of residents continue to face barriers to care, according to a new national report.
Mental Health America’s “State of Mental Health in America 2025” ranked Ohio 12th overall out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings measure prevalence of mental illness and access to care across 17 categories.
The report found that in 2024 more than 2.1 million adults in Ohio — about 23% of the state’s population — experienced some form of mental illness. Roughly 476,000 adults reported serious thoughts of suicide, while nearly 1.75 million adults had a substance use disorder.
Among youth, about 174,000 Ohio adolescents experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, and 123,000 reported suicidal ideation. Nearly 78,000 youth were identified with substance use disorders.
Despite its relatively high ranking, access to treatment remains a challenge. In Ohio, 137,000 adults with mental illness were uninsured, and about 1.49 million adults with substance use disorders did not receive needed treatment. The state also has a shortage of providers, with a ratio of 340 people per mental health worker, slightly worse than the national average.
Nationally, the report showed youth mental health improving from 2023 to 2024, with fewer adolescents experiencing major depressive episodes or suicidal thoughts. But adult rates of mental illness and substance use disorders have remained steady, affecting tens of millions of people.
Mental Health America warned that recent federal cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act funding could put access to care at further risk. The report calls for state and national leaders to invest in coverage, prevention, crisis services and the behavioral health workforce.