Georgia’s Medicaid Program Ranks Last in Mental Health Care

A new analysis from Addiction-Rep ranks Georgia’s Medicaid program as the lowest in the nation for mental health care. The report, which uses data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, scores states on how well their Medicaid programs serve adults with mental health needs.

Researchers developed a Behavioral Health Performance Index, which averages scores across four categories: starting and sticking with treatment, using evidence-based medications, keeping up with care and follow-up, and patient experience. Georgia received a score of 24.29—the lowest among the 38 states and the District of Columbia included in the analysis.

By The Numbers:

• 22.8% of U.S. adults—almost 59 million people—live with a mental illness, up from 17.9% in 2015.
• Among adults on Medicaid, 34.6% experienced some form of mental illness in 2023, compared to about 24% of those with private insurance.
• Nearly 1 in 10 Medicaid enrollees live with a serious mental illness, almost double the rate for privately insured adults.
• Georgia’s Behavioral Health Performance Index score: 24.29 (worst in the analysis).

In Context: Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans living with mental illness, especially those who cannot afford private insurance. But because Medicaid is run by individual states, the quality and availability of mental health care can vary widely. Georgia’s low score is yet another example ongoing challenges the state faces with health care. Georgia continuously ranks among the worst in the nation on all health care metrics.

The report comes as Congress debates major cuts to Medicaid funding, raising concerns about how further reductions could impact access to mental health care—especially in states like Georgia that are already already struggling to meet needs.

Take Action: To learn more about how Georgia and other states rank, or to see detailed breakdowns of the data, visit the full report at Addiction-Rep’s website. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, the Georgia Crisis and Access Line is available 24/7 at 1-800-715-4225. Health care in Georgia is not going to improve until residents start demanding it from their elected officials and start electing representatives who understand the state’s health care deficiencies.