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A Failing National Mental Health System



In 2006, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) graded states' mental health-care systems. The national average was a D. In a follow-up three years later, that average didn't change. Here are highlights from the 2009 report.

  • Oklahoma had the biggest score increase, rising from a D to a B. South Carolina, meanwhile, had the nation's steepest drop, from a B to a D.
  • Twenty-three states kept the same grade. Fourteen increased their scores, but almost just as many (12) saw their scores fall.
  • NAMI found state mental health agencies made valiant efforts to improve systems and promote recovery despite rising demand for services, workforce shortages and inadequate resources.
  • The feds failed to provide leadership in developing uniform standards for collecting state, county and local data.

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Russell Nichols

Russell Nichols is a GOVERNING staff writer.

E-mail: rnichols@governing.com
Twitter: @governing

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