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.