Youth Ranking 2020

States with rankings 1-13 have lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care for youth. States with rankings 39-51 indicate that youth have higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care.
The 7 measures that make up the Youth Ranking include:
- Youth with At Least One Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the Past Year
- Youth with Substance Use of Disorder in the Past Year
- Youth with Severe MDE
- Youth with MDE who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services
- Youth with Severe MDE who Received Some Consistent Treatment
- Children with Private Insurance that Did Not Cover Mental or Emotional Problems
- Students Identified with Emotional Disturbance for an Individualized Education Program.
Rank Sort descending | State |
---|---|
01 | Pennsylvania |
01 | Vermont |
02 | Maine |
02 | Pennsylvania |
03 | District of Columbia |
03 | District of Columbia |
04 | Vermont |
04 | Maryland |
05 | Massachusetts |
05 | Massachusetts |
06 | New Jersey |
06 | New Hampshire |
07 | Rhode Island |
07 | New Jersey |
08 | Delaware |
08 | Connecticut |
09 | Maine |
09 | New York |
10 | Minnesota |
10 | Maryland |
11 | Ohio |
11 | Wisconsin |
12 | New York |
12 | Illinois |
13 | South Dakota |
13 | Colorado |
14 | New Hampshire |
14 | Minnesota |
15 | Wisconsin |
15 | Rhode Island |
16 | Louisiana |
16 | Mississippi |
17 | Connecticut |
17 | Georgia |
18 | Mississippi |
18 | Delaware |
19 | Ohio |
19 | Kentucky |
20 | Alabama |
20 | Virginia |
21 | Virginia |
21 | Nebraska |
22 | Missouri |
22 | Iowa |
23 | South Dakota |
23 | Hawaii |
24 | Kentucky |
24 | Alabama |
25 | Louisiana |
25 | North Dakota |
26 | Indiana |
26 | Kansas |
27 | Michigan |
27 | Michigan |
28 | Oklahoma |
28 | Indiana |
29 | Hawaii |
29 | Georgia |
30 | Florida |
30 | Texas |
31 | Iowa |
31 | Missouri |
32 | Utah |
32 | Utah |
33 | Kansas |
33 | California |
34 | North Dakota |
34 | Tennessee |
35 | South Carolina |
35 | Washington |
36 | California |
36 | Illinois |
37 | Nebraska |
37 | Montana |
38 | Florida |
38 | Montana |
39 | West Virginia |
39 | Washington |
40 | Alaska |
40 | Tennessee |
41 | Oregon |
41 | Texas |
42 | Colorado |
42 | North Carolina |
43 | Wyoming |
43 | Wyoming |
44 | South Carolina |
44 | West Virginia |
45 | North Carolina |
45 | Oregon |
46 | Oklahoma |
46 | Alaska |
47 | Arkansas |
47 | New Mexico |
48 | Idaho |
48 | Arkansas |
49 | Arizona |
49 | Arizona |
50 | New Mexico |
50 | Idaho |
51 | Nevada |
51 | Nevada |
Youth with At Least One Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the Past Year 2020

- 13.01% of youth (age 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year.
- Childhood depression is more likely to persist into adulthood if gone untreated.
- The number of youth experiencing MDE increased by 99,000 from last years' dataset.
- The state prevalence of youth with MDE ranges from the District of Columbia at 10.49% to Oregon at 16.34%.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | District of Columbia | 10.49 | 3,000 |
02 | Louisiana | 10.76 | 39,000 |
03 | New Jersey | 11.17 | 77,000 |
04 | Georgia | 11.44 | 99,000 |
05 | New York | 11.46 | 161,000 |
06 | Mississippi | 11.56 | 28,000 |
07 | Delaware | 11.58 | 8,000 |
08 | Alabama | 11.90 | 45,000 |
09 | Kentucky | 11.94 | 41,000 |
10 | Hawaii | 11.97 | 11,000 |
11 | North Carolina | 12.03 | 95,000 |
12 | North Dakota | 12.13 | 6,000 |
13 | Texas | 12.19 | 296,000 |
14 | Pennsylvania | 12.23 | 113,000 |
15 | South Carolina | 12.31 | 46,000 |
16 | South Dakota | 12.56 | 8,000 |
17 | Tennessee | 12.79 | 65,000 |
18 | Vermont | 12.83 | 5,000 |
19 | Maryland | 12.91 | 59,000 |
20 | Nebraska | 13.01 | 20,000 |
21 | Arizona | 13.06 | 72,000 |
22 | Florida | 13.09 | 185,000 |
23 | Connecticut | 13.16 | 36,000 |
24 | Virginia | 13.22 | 83,000 |
25 | California | 13.23 | 401,000 |
26 | Rhode Island | 13.30 | 10,000 |
27 | Arkansas | 13.36 | 32,000 |
28 | Minnesota | 13.56 | 58,000 |
29 | Massachusetts | 13.60 | 66,000 |
30 | Wisconsin | 13.66 | 61,000 |
31 | Indiana | 13.77 | 74,000 |
32 | Kansas | 13.84 | 33,000 |
33 | Oklahoma | 13.86 | 44,000 |
34 | Michigan | 13.87 | 107,000 |
35 | Colorado | 13.89 | 59,000 |
36 | New Hampshire | 13.91 | 13,000 |
37 | Washington | 13.98 | 75,000 |
38 | Illinois | 14.00 | 141,000 |
39 | West Virginia | 14.05 | 18,000 |
40 | Montana | 14.07 | 11,000 |
41 | Iowa | 14.10 | 34,000 |
42 | Wyoming | 14.20 | 6,000 |
43 | Alaska | 14.27 | 8,000 |
44 | Ohio | 14.35 | 129,000 |
45 | Missouri | 14.57 | 68,000 |
46 | New Mexico | 14.88 | 25,000 |
47 | Nevada | 14.97 | 34,000 |
48 | Maine | 15.07 | 14,000 |
49 | Utah | 15.48 | 47,000 |
50 | Idaho | 16.22 | 24,000 |
51 | Oregon | 16.34 | 48,000 |
Youth with Severe Major Depressive Episode 2020

- 9.2% of youth (over 2.2 million youth) cope with severe major depression. Depression in youth often co-occurs with other disorders like substance use, anxiety and disorderly behavior.
- The number of youth experiencing Severe MDE increased by 121,000 from last year’s dataset
- The state prevalence of youth with Severe MDE ranges from 6.0% in Mississippi to 13.2% in Nevada.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Mississippi | 6 | 14,000 |
02 | North Dakota | 6 | 3,000 |
03 | Kentucky | 6.3 | 21,000 |
04 | Delaware | 6.6 | 4,000 |
05 | Iowa | 6.9 | 17,000 |
06 | New Jersey | 7 | 47,000 |
07 | South Dakota | 7.3 | 5,000 |
08 | Louisiana | 7.5 | 27,000 |
09 | New York | 7.5 | 102,000 |
10 | Georgia | 7.7 | 65,000 |
11 | Nebraska | 7.7 | 12,000 |
12 | Kansas | 7.8 | 18,000 |
13 | District of Columbia | 7.9 | 2,000 |
14 | Alabama | 8.1 | 29,000 |
15 | Vermont | 8.2 | 3,000 |
16 | Colorado | 8.3 | 35,000 |
17 | New Hampshire | 8.3 | 8,000 |
18 | Arkansas | 8.4 | 19,000 |
19 | Oklahoma | 8.4 | 26,000 |
20 | Pennsylvania | 8.6 | 77,000 |
21 | California | 8.8 | 258,000 |
22 | Arizona | 8.9 | 47,000 |
23 | South Carolina | 8.9 | 32,000 |
24 | Hawaii | 9 | 8,000 |
25 | Texas | 9 | 211,000 |
26 | Michigan | 9.1 | 68,000 |
27 | Virginia | 9.1 | 55,000 |
28 | Montana | 9.2 | 7,000 |
29 | Alaska | 9.3 | 5,000 |
30 | North Carolina | 9.8 | 75,000 |
31 | Ohio | 9.9 | 87,000 |
32 | Florida | 10 | 137,000 |
33 | Maryland | 10 | 43,000 |
34 | Illinois | 10.1 | 98,000 |
35 | Wyoming | 10.1 | 4,000 |
36 | Connecticut | 10.2 | 27,000 |
37 | Rhode Island | 10.2 | 7,000 |
38 | Indiana | 10.4 | 54,000 |
39 | Tennessee | 10.4 | 52,000 |
40 | Massachusetts | 10.5 | 50,000 |
41 | Minnesota | 10.5 | 44,000 |
42 | New Mexico | 10.5 | 17,000 |
43 | Utah | 10.7 | 31,000 |
44 | Washington | 10.7 | 56,000 |
45 | Wisconsin | 10.8 | 47,000 |
46 | Missouri | 11.3 | 51,000 |
47 | West Virginia | 11.3 | 14,000 |
48 | Idaho | 11.7 | 17,000 |
49 | Oregon | 12.7 | 36,000 |
50 | Maine | 13.1 | 12,000 |
51 | Nevada | 13.2 | 28,000 |
Youth with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year 2020

- 4.13% of youth in America reported having a substance use disorder in the past year.
- 1.87% had an alcohol use disorder in the past year, while 3.07 percent had an illicit drug use disorder.
- The state prevalence of youth with substance use disorder in the past year ranges from 3.18% in Georgia to 6.54% in Alaska.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Georgia | 3.182475035 | 27,000 |
02 | Pennsylvania | 3.185802626 | 29,000 |
03 | Indiana | 3.291448092 | 18,000 |
04 | New Jersey | 3.342732377 | 23,000 |
05 | Maryland | 3.449672251 | 16,000 |
06 | Mississippi | 3.493247299 | 9,000 |
07 | Texas | 3.614661795 | 88,000 |
08 | Kentucky | 3.620369457 | 12,000 |
09 | North Carolina | 3.627702805 | 29,000 |
10 | Virginia | 3.645123485 | 23,000 |
11 | Missouri | 3.719937618 | 17,000 |
12 | Utah | 3.839603996 | 12,000 |
13 | Tennessee | 3.855519348 | 20,000 |
14 | Michigan | 3.869633218 | 30,000 |
15 | Louisiana | 3.886166165 | 14,000 |
16 | Hawaii | 3.925247869 | 4,000 |
17 | Alabama | 3.961135797 | 15,000 |
18 | Ohio | 3.991856442 | 36,000 |
19 | New York | 4.038806972 | 57,000 |
20 | Nebraska | 4.048445012 | 6,000 |
21 | South Carolina | 4.086818098 | 15,000 |
22 | Kansas | 4.088204261 | 10,000 |
23 | Arkansas | 4.103869488 | 10,000 |
24 | Iowa | 4.177114319 | 10,000 |
25 | Wisconsin | 4.231806383 | 19,000 |
26 | New Hampshire | 4.254965351 | 4,000 |
27 | Massachusetts | 4.260760958 | 21,000 |
28 | Minnesota | 4.274638216 | 18,000 |
29 | Delaware | 4.321874967 | 3,000 |
30 | Oklahoma | 4.359725042 | 14,000 |
31 | North Dakota | 4.385811586 | 2,000 |
32 | West Virginia | 4.419896883 | 6,000 |
33 | Florida | 4.535326733 | 64,000 |
34 | California | 4.625460574 | 140,000 |
35 | Connecticut | 4.639595161 | 13,000 |
36 | Idaho | 4.646841263 | 7,000 |
37 | Illinois | 4.666726976 | 47,000 |
38 | Rhode Island | 4.689070325 | 3,000 |
39 | Maine | 4.746754906 | 4,000 |
40 | Arizona | 4.769366312 | 26,000 |
41 | District of Columbia | 5.143210752 | 2,000 |
42 | Washington | 5.180724175 | 28,000 |
43 | Nevada | 5.195238999 | 12,000 |
44 | Oregon | 5.304943479 | 16,000 |
45 | Wyoming | 5.400402884 | 2,000 |
46 | Vermont | 5.465448491 | 2,000 |
47 | South Dakota | 5.586386863 | 4,000 |
48 | Colorado | 5.597954012 | 24,000 |
49 | New Mexico | 6.014429216 | 10,000 |
50 | Montana | 6.295415565 | 5,000 |
51 | Alaska | 6.539439208 | 4,000 |
Youth with MDE who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services 2020

- 59% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.
- Youth experiencing MDE continue to go untreated. Even among the states with greatest access for youth, almost 50% of youth are still not receiving the mental health services they need.
- The state prevalence of untreated youth with depression ranges from 39.5% in Rhode Island to 74.3% in North Carolina.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Rhode Island | 39.5 | 4,000 |
02 | Connecticut | 43.9 | 16,000 |
03 | Wisconsin | 44.3 | 27,000 |
04 | Maine | 45.3 | 7,000 |
05 | North Dakota | 46.7 | 2,000 |
06 | Minnesota | 47.5 | 27,000 |
07 | Ohio | 48.6 | 63,000 |
08 | District of Columbia | 48.7 | 1,000 |
09 | Virginia | 51.3 | 44,000 |
10 | Maryland | 52.5 | 33,000 |
11 | Louisiana | 52.7 | 18,000 |
12 | Utah | 53.8 | 24,000 |
13 | Pennsylvania | 53.9 | 59,000 |
14 | West Virginia | 54.2 | 10,000 |
15 | Massachusetts | 54.5 | 38,000 |
16 | New Hampshire | 54.7 | 7,000 |
17 | Indiana | 54.8 | 40,000 |
18 | New York | 55.1 | 83,000 |
19 | Vermont | 55.3 | 3,000 |
20 | Colorado | 55.6 | 30,000 |
21 | Oregon | 55.6 | 27,000 |
22 | Idaho | 55.7 | 13,000 |
23 | South Dakota | 55.7 | 4,000 |
24 | Illinois | 56.1 | 80,000 |
25 | Tennessee | 57 | 37,000 |
26 | Florida | 57.2 | 106,000 |
27 | Delaware | 57.3 | 4,000 |
28 | New Jersey | 57.8 | 40,000 |
29 | Hawaii | 57.9 | 6,000 |
30 | Missouri | 59 | 45,000 |
31 | Washington | 59.1 | 40,000 |
32 | Iowa | 59.8 | 20,000 |
33 | Michigan | 59.8 | 64,000 |
34 | Arizona | 60.2 | 38,000 |
35 | Arkansas | 61.3 | 19,000 |
36 | Nevada | 61.4 | 22,000 |
37 | New Mexico | 61.4 | 16,000 |
38 | Kentucky | 62 | 19,000 |
39 | Wyoming | 62.5 | 4,000 |
40 | Montana | 63.2 | 6,000 |
41 | Mississippi | 63.7 | 16,000 |
42 | California | 63.9 | 245,000 |
43 | Texas | 65.4 | 180,000 |
44 | Alaska | 65.6 | 5,000 |
45 | Oklahoma | 65.8 | 28,000 |
46 | Alabama | 67.5 | 26,000 |
47 | Kansas | 70.8 | 22,000 |
48 | Georgia | 70.9 | 67,000 |
49 | Nebraska | 71.3 | 14,000 |
50 | South Carolina | 73.7 | 33,000 |
51 | North Carolina | 74.3 | 68,000 |
Youth with Severe MDE who Received Some Consistent Treatment 2020

- Nationally, only 28.2% of youth with severe depression receive some consistent treatment (7-25+ visits in a year).
- Late recognition in primary care settings and limited coverage of mental health services often prevent youth from receiving timely and effective treatment.
- The state prevalence of youth with severe depression who received some outpatient treatment ranges from 53.9% in Maryland to 13.5% in South Carolina.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Maine | 65.60% | 7,000 |
01 | Maine | 50 | 5000 |
02 | Vermont | 49.70% | 3,000 |
02 | Maryland | 49.2 | 21000 |
03 | New Hampshire | 47.60% | 4,000 |
03 | Vermont | 45.4 | 2000 |
04 | Wyoming | 45.60% | 3,000 |
04 | Delaware | 41.5 | 2000 |
05 | Colorado | 43.10% | 16,000 |
05 | Rhode Island | 41.2 | 3000 |
06 | Wisconsin | 40.4 | 23000 |
06 | Massachusetts | 42.20% | 19,000 |
07 | Oregon | 37.9 | 14000 |
07 | Pennsylvania | 39.90% | 28,000 |
08 | Massachusetts | 37.7 | 15000 |
08 | Illinois | 38.30% | 38,000 |
09 | District of Columbia | 37.3 | 1000 |
09 | Oregon | 36.60% | 14,000 |
10 | Pennsylvania | 37.1 | 23000 |
10 | Wisconsin | 36.40% | 19,000 |
11 | Wyoming | 36.3 | 2000 |
11 | Delaware | 36.30% | 3,000 |
12 | Ohio | 36 | 28000 |
12 | Minnesota | 35.90% | 17,000 |
13 | Nebraska | 35.9 | 5000 |
13 | District of Columbia | 35.80% | 1,000 |
14 | Idaho | 35.8 | 6000 |
14 | Washington | 35.70% | 24,000 |
15 | New Hampshire | 34.9 | 3000 |
15 | Montana | 35.50% | 3,000 |
16 | Kentucky | 34.2 | 10000 |
16 | Maryland | 34.50% | 18,000 |
17 | Minnesota | 33.7 | 13000 |
17 | Oklahoma | 33.60% | 12,000 |
18 | North Dakota | 33.00% | 2,000 |
18 | North Dakota | 33 | 1000 |
19 | Indiana | 32.90% | 23,000 |
19 | New Jersey | 32.5 | 16000 |
20 | Alabama | 31.30% | 8,000 |
20 | Louisiana | 32 | 9000 |
21 | Michigan | 30.40% | 26,000 |
21 | Kansas | 31.1 | 7000 |
22 | Iowa | 29.50% | 9,000 |
22 | Arkansas | 30 | 7000 |
23 | South Dakota | 29.30% | 2,000 |
23 | Alaska | 29.9 | 2000 |
24 | Kentucky | 28.60% | 9,000 |
24 | Michigan | 29.8 | 24000 |
25 | New Jersey | 28.40% | 14,000 |
25 | Montana | 29.3 | 2000 |
26 | New York | 28.30% | 29,000 |
26 | South Dakota | 29.2 | 1000 |
27 | Nebraska | 27.80% | 5,000 |
27 | Iowa | 28.8 | 7000 |
28 | Idaho | 27.70% | 6,000 |
28 | South Carolina | 28.3 | 9000 |
29 | Utah | 27.30% | 11,000 |
29 | Hawaii | 28.3 | 2000 |
30 | California | 26.10% | 72,000 |
30 | West Virginia | 27.8 | 4000 |
31 | Ohio | 25.10% | 19,000 |
31 | Tennessee | 27.3 | 12000 |
32 | Virginia | 25.00% | 19,000 |
32 | Washington | 26.7 | 13000 |
33 | North Carolina | 24.90% | 27,000 |
33 | Indiana | 26.1 | 16000 |
34 | South Carolina | 24.20% | 8,000 |
34 | Virginia | 26.1 | 16000 |
35 | Connecticut | 23.60% | 5,000 |
35 | Alabama | 25.9 | 6000 |
36 | Arkansas | 22.70% | 7,000 |
36 | Texas | 25 | 54000 |
37 | Kansas | 22.70% | 6,000 |
37 | Illinois | 25 | 26000 |
38 | Arizona | 24.7 | 15000 |
38 | New Mexico | 22.50% | 5,000 |
39 | California | 24.6 | 59000 |
39 | Louisiana | 21.10% | 7,000 |
40 | Utah | 24.5 | 8000 |
40 | West Virginia | 20.90% | 3,000 |
41 | Oklahoma | 23.5 | 8000 |
41 | Rhode Island | 20.40% | 1,000 |
42 | New Mexico | 22.6 | 5000 |
42 | Alaska | 20.20% | 1,000 |
43 | New York | 21.9 | 22000 |
43 | Georgia | 20.10% | 14,000 |
44 | North Carolina | 21.9 | 21000 |
44 | Texas | 19.20% | 44,000 |
45 | Connecticut | 21.6 | 5000 |
45 | Nevada | 18.70% | 5,000 |
46 | Colorado | 21.5 | 8000 |
46 | Florida | 17.00% | 20,000 |
47 | Florida | 19.7 | 24000 |
47 | Arizona | 16.10% | 10,000 |
48 | Georgia | 19.2 | 15000 |
48 | Mississippi | 13.50% | 2,000 |
49 | Missouri | 19 | 9000 |
49 | Hawaii | 13.30% | 1,000 |
50 | Missouri | 12.60% | 5,000 |
50 | Mississippi | 14.9 | 2000 |
51 | Tennessee | 12.20% | 6,000 |
51 | Nevada | 11.2 | 3000 |
52 | National | 27.20% | 661,000 |
52 | National | 27.3 | 614000 |
Children with Private Insurance that Did Not Cover Mental or Emotional Problems 2020

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity law (MHPAE) was enacted a decade ago and promised the equal coverage of mental health and substance use services. However, the rate of children with private insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems continues to increase, and private insurance companies continue to place subtle restrictions on coverage for mental health treatments.
Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that United Behavioral Health, the nation’s largest behavioral health insurer, had violated parity by using overly restrictive guidelines for coverage of mental health and substance use services. In his decision, Judge Spero wrote, “one of the most troubling aspects of UBH’s guidelines is their failure to address in any meaningful way the different standards that apply to children and adolescents with respect to the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.” To improve the worsening mental health of children and adolescents in the U.S., insurance companies must achieve parity in coverage.
The state prevalence of children lacking mental health coverage ranges from 2.0% in New Hampshire to 18.1% in Mississippi.
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Massachusetts | 1.90% | 5,000 |
01 | Vermont | 0.6 | 0 |
02 | Vermont | 2.10% | 0 |
02 | Massachusetts | 1.2 | 4000 |
03 | Connecticut | 3.50% | 5,000 |
03 | New Hampshire | 2.5 | 1000 |
04 | Rhode Island | 3.80% | 1,000 |
04 | Connecticut | 3.3 | 5000 |
05 | Missouri | 4.20% | 9,000 |
05 | Maine | 3.4 | 2000 |
06 | New Jersey | 4 | 14000 |
06 | New Hampshire | 4.30% | 2,000 |
07 | District of Columbia | 4.6 | 1000 |
07 | Oklahoma | 4.40% | 6,000 |
08 | Washington | 5.2 | 16000 |
08 | District of Columbia | 4.50% | 1,000 |
09 | Rhode Island | 5.3 | 2000 |
09 | West Virginia | 4.50% | 2,000 |
10 | Montana | 5.4 | 2000 |
10 | Wisconsin | 4.50% | 12,000 |
11 | South Dakota | 5.4 | 2000 |
11 | South Dakota | 4.70% | 2,000 |
12 | Michigan | 5.5 | 23000 |
12 | Utah | 4.70% | 10,000 |
13 | Wisconsin | 5.5 | 16000 |
13 | New Jersey | 5.00% | 18,000 |
14 | Ohio | 5.9 | 26000 |
14 | Washington | 5.20% | 15,000 |
15 | Missouri | 5.9 | 14000 |
15 | Maine | 5.40% | 3,000 |
16 | Alabama | 5.9 | 7000 |
16 | Michigan | 6.10% | 27,000 |
17 | Pennsylvania | 6.1 | 29000 |
17 | Virginia | 6.40% | 22,000 |
18 | Maryland | 6.50% | 15,000 |
18 | Georgia | 6.5 | 23000 |
19 | Illinois | 6.60% | 33,000 |
19 | Virginia | 6.6 | 21000 |
20 | Oregon | 6.60% | 10,000 |
20 | Oregon | 6.7 | 10000 |
21 | Pennsylvania | 6.80% | 32,000 |
21 | Delaware | 6.9 | 3000 |
22 | Delaware | 7.00% | 3,000 |
22 | Indiana | 7.1 | 22000 |
23 | Georgia | 7.00% | 25,000 |
23 | Illinois | 7.2 | 34000 |
24 | Nevada | 7.10% | 8,000 |
24 | Maryland | 7.2 | 18000 |
25 | Indiana | 7.40% | 22,000 |
25 | West Virginia | 7.2 | 4000 |
26 | Iowa | 7.40% | 10,000 |
26 | California | 7.5 | 100000 |
27 | Ohio | 7.40% | 33,000 |
27 | Minnesota | 7.5 | 20000 |
28 | Alaska | 7.50% | 2,000 |
28 | Mississippi | 7.5 | 6000 |
29 | New York | 7.70% | 48,000 |
29 | Iowa | 7.5 | 10000 |
30 | New Mexico | 7.80% | 5,000 |
30 | Louisiana | 7.6 | 10000 |
31 | Kansas | 7.90% | 8,000 |
31 | New Mexico | 7.8 | 4000 |
32 | Minnesota | 8.00% | 20,000 |
32 | Utah | 7.8 | 16000 |
33 | California | 8.20% | 111,000 |
33 | Oklahoma | 7.9 | 11000 |
34 | Mississippi | 8.20% | 6,000 |
34 | Kansas | 7.9 | 9000 |
35 | Hawaii | 8.30% | 3,000 |
35 | New York | 8.3 | 49000 |
36 | Tennessee | 8.80% | 19,000 |
36 | Colorado | 8.3 | 17000 |
37 | Louisiana | 9.00% | 11,000 |
37 | Hawaii | 9.2 | 3000 |
38 | Florida | 9.4 | 52000 |
38 | Kentucky | 9.30% | 15,000 |
39 | North Carolina | 10 | 33000 |
39 | Montana | 9.50% | 3,000 |
40 | Alaska | 10.3 | 2000 |
40 | Colorado | 9.60% | 22,000 |
41 | Kentucky | 11 | 17000 |
41 | North Carolina | 10.00% | 34,000 |
42 | Texas | 11.5 | 108000 |
42 | Arizona | 10.20% | 27,000 |
43 | Wyoming | 12 | 3000 |
43 | Florida | 11.70% | 65,000 |
44 | Arizona | 12.1 | 32000 |
44 | Idaho | 12.20% | 11,000 |
45 | Nevada | 12.6 | 13000 |
45 | South Carolina | 12.40% | 19,000 |
46 | Nebraska | 12.6 | 10000 |
46 | Alabama | 12.50% | 16,000 |
47 | Idaho | 12.7 | 10000 |
47 | Wyoming | 12.70% | 3,000 |
48 | North Dakota | 13.5 | 5000 |
48 | Texas | 13.80% | 135,000 |
49 | Tennessee | 13.5 | 27000 |
49 | Nebraska | 15.40% | 13,000 |
50 | North Dakota | 15.60% | 5,000 |
50 | Arkansas | 14.4 | 13000 |
51 | Arkansas | 17.70% | 17,000 |
51 | South Carolina | 14.8 | 23000 |
52 | National | 8.10% | 950,000 |
52 | National | 7.8 | 901000 |
Students Identified with Emotional Disturbance for an Individualized Education Program 2020

Only .73%* of students are identified as having an ED for IEP.
For purposes of an IEP, the term “Emotional Disturbance” is used to define youth with a mental illness that is affecting their ability to succeed in school.
Early identification for IEPs is critical. IEPs provide the services, accommodations and support students with ED need to receive a quality education. Inadequate education leads to poor outcomes such as low academic achievement, social isolation, unemployment, and involvement in the juvenile system. Further, the federal eligibility criteria to identify students as having an emotional disturbance for an IEP have indicated extremely poor reliability among school psychologists, and therefore must be revised to adequately identify students in need of more supports.
*The rate for this measure is shown as a rate per 1,000 students. The calculation was made this way for ease of reading. Unfortunately, doing so hides the fact that the percentages are significantly lower. If states were doing a better job of identifying whether youth had emotional difficulties that could be better supported through an IEP – the rates would be closer to 7 percent instead of .7 percent.
The state rate of students identified as having an Emotional Disturbance (ED) for an IEP ranges from 27.72% per 1,000 students in Vermont to 2.02% per 1,000 students in Alabama.
High percentages are associated with positive outcomes and low percentages are associated with poorer outcomes
Rank Sort descending | State | Percentage | Number |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Vermont | 27.72 | 2071 |
02 | Minnesota | 19.76 | 15666 |
03 | Massachusetts | 18.81 | 16338 |
04 | Wisconsin | 16.18 | 12217 |
05 | Pennsylvania | 15.50 | 24746 |
06 | Maine | 13.73 | 2243 |
07 | Indiana | 13.42 | 12798 |
08 | Iowa | 12.98 | 5741 |
09 | District of Columbia | 12.78 | 840 |
10 | Rhode Island | 12.49 | 1618 |
11 | New Hampshire | 12.32 | 2039 |
12 | Connecticut | 11.51 | 5526 |
13 | North Dakota | 10.86 | 1066 |
14 | Illinois | 10.17 | 18373 |
15 | Ohio | 9.80 | 15208 |
16 | South Dakota | 9.76 | 1184 |
17 | Oregon | 9.54 | 5122 |
18 | Nebraska | 9.50 | 2664 |
19 | New York | 9.49 | 23429 |
20 | Virginia | 8.39 | 9752 |
21 | Delaware | 8.32 | 1037 |
22 | Michigan | 8.26 | 11273 |
23 | Missouri | 8.25 | 6738 |
24 | Mississippi | 7.90 | 3487 |
25 | Maryland | 7.69 | 6085 |
26 | Kentucky | 7.35 | 4468 |
27 | Arizona | 7.31 | 7551 |
28 | Colorado | 6.90 | 5578 |
29 | Oklahoma | 6.78 | 4073 |
30 | Georgia | 6.70 | 10653 |
31 | Wyoming | 6.63 | 570 |
32 | Montana | 6.35 | 848 |
33 | New Mexico | 6.20 | 1889 |
34 | New Jersey | 6.12 | 7690 |
35 | Texas | 6.09 | 28884 |
36 | Alaska | 5.93 | 707 |
37 | Hawaii | 5.92 | 979 |
38 | Florida | 5.84 | 14933 |
39 | Kansas | 5.48 | 2409 |
40 | Washington | 5.11 | 5142 |
41 | Idaho | 4.95 | 1354 |
42 | West Virginia | 4.94 | 1180 |
43 | Nevada | 4.45 | 1931 |
44 | California | 4.36 | 24818 |
45 | North Carolina | 3.81 | 5394 |
46 | Tennessee | 3.72 | 3342 |
47 | South Carolina | 3.20 | 2208 |
48 | Utah | 3.17 | 1889 |
49 | Louisiana | 2.79 | 1773 |
50 | Arkansas | 2.24 | 988 |
51 | Alabama | 2.02 | 1365 |