Mental health disorders cross party lines. Half of all Americans will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. They affect us, our friends, family members, and other members of our communities regardless of where we stand politically.
When we do not support people we pay heavily, whether in healthcare, workforce, quality of life, or actual lives lost. Ensuring access to a variety of services and supports that enable Americans to stay in their communities and to contribute to society should be a nonpartisan issue.
More than anything else, where you live can determine your access to care. While federal policies and efforts can help steer the nation, state and local policies can make the ultimate difference in your access.
Using party affiliation data from Gallup, MHA combined its Access to Care Rankings with state party affiliation. The top ten states were almost evenly split among Democratic leaning, Republican leaning, and competitive states.
All states, regardless of political make up, can support access to care. Now more than ever voters need to tell officials at all levels of government to take action to address mental health in our communities.
