For the second consecutive year, Nevada joined Arizona in last place of two lowest-ranked states in a national ranking of mental health care availability and efficacy.
Mental Health America’s “State of Mental Health America Report,” , scores states across 17 metrics. For Nevada, the report data highlights a statewide shortage of mental health professionals and concerns about limited access to treatment.
The data shows 22.63% of Nevada youth had major depressive episodes in the past year and 37% of youth received no preventive care. Meanwhile, 22.5% of adults had substance abuse disorder.
Dr. Sid Khurana, a psychiatrist and medical director for Nevada Mental Health, said, “The aspect that dinged Nevada was lack of preventive care the year before. For access, Nevada is 47th (up from 50th) and we have contributed to that, by having access to 50 psychiatric med staff schedules, offering next-day appointments. Increased awareness and outreach will further improve access to care and both preventative and treatment services.”
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