New York (WRGB) — According to the “State of Mental Health in America” report, New York State has been recognized as the national leader in mental health care. The report, compiled by Mental Health America, ranked New York first across 17 common measures of mental health, reflecting the state’s low percentages of uninsured adults with mental illness and youth experiencing suicidal thoughts or major depression.
Governor Hochul announced the achievement, highlighting the state’s efforts to address mental health issues. Hochul said,
These findings demonstrate that we remain on the right track in our concerted efforts to address the mental health crisis among children and adults. While our work is far from finished, New York has become a national model when it comes to providing a range of support, care and treatment that residents need.
In a release, the report’s data coincides with Governor Hochul’s multi-billion-dollar investment to strengthen New York’s mental health care system. Her $1 billion plan in FY 2024 focused on improvements in suicide prevention, youth services, and other areas. The state has added 985 psychiatric beds and expanded outpatient programs, creating thousands of new units of specialized housing.
Dr. Ann Sullivan, New York State Office of Mental Health commissioner, praised the state’s commitment. Sullivan said,
The Mental Health in America report reflects the bold commitment Governor Hochul has made into mental health and the fantastic work that our state and provider workforce have undertaken to dramatically expand access to high-quality care. We are proud partners together and look forward to continuing as both an innovator and a national leader in mental health care.
The state has also expanded school-based mental health clinics and introduced new legislative initiatives to protect youth mental health, including the Safe for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act. These efforts aim to restrict addictive social media feeds and protect personal data for users under 18.