Carmen Macri
Words by Carmen Macri
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s a reminder that mental illness affects more than 50 million adults in the U.S.—that’s over 1 in 5. Even more alarming: more than half of them, around 28 million people, aren’t getting the help or treatment they need.
A report by “Forbes” recently ranked all 50 states from best to worst for mental health care, and Florida is ranked one of the worst, followed by Alabama, Georgia and Texas. The rankings were based on seven key factors: how many adults with mental illness aren’t getting any treatment, how many aren’t getting enough treatment, how many can’t afford to see a doctor, how many kids with depression aren’t getting help, the percentage of uninsured adults with mental health issues, how many youth have private insurance that doesn’t cover mental or emotional care, and how many treatment centers exist per 10,000 businesses. Each state was then scored out of 100 — higher scores meant worse access and outcomes.
Texas ranks dead last with a score of 100, offering just 8.4 treatment centers for every 10,000 businesses. Georgia isn’t far behind at 91.76, followed by Alabama at 87.60. Then comes Florida, landing in fourth place with a score of 83. What’s most alarming here is how it’s hitting young people the hardest — more than 61% of Florida’s youth who report major depressive episodes aren’t getting any mental health care at all. One of the leading factors for Florida is the high cost of health care — many of the state’s youth (myself included) are left uninsured due to this. The Sunshine State stands out as having the seventh fewest mental health treatment centers with 11.88 per 10,000 businesses.
There was a House Bill in the works, House Bill 23, that lays out what psychologists need to do to gain prescriptive authority in Florida to be able to prescribe medications. To qualify, they must hold a doctoral degree, pass a national exam and complete specialized training in clinical psychopharmacology. The bill also puts the Board of Psychology in charge of certifying qualified psychologists and keeping records of those allowed to prescribe controlled substances.
The goal was to expand access to mental health care by letting trained psychologists prescribe medication in addition to providing therapy, helping ease the strain on psychiatrists and reducing long wait times for patients who need both talk therapy and medication.
But, alas, the bill was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 12:00 a.m.
We were so close.
Despite Florida’s attempts at improving mental health rankings on paper, residents of Duval County are still falling through the cracks — trapped in long waitlists, burdened by provider shortages and struggling with limited access to affordable care.
Duval County has roughly one mental health provider for every 426 residents. And with about 13% of the population uninsured, access to care remains a significant challenge.
In 2024, Duval County reported 3,194 involuntary mental health examinations (Baker Acts), with 503 involving individuals under 17, highlighting the pressing need for youth mental health services.
Educational Support and Citywide Efforts:
In 2022, Duval County Public Schools teamed up with Headspace, the popular mindfulness and mental wellness app, to give teachers and staff free access to its resources. The partnership was designed to cut down barriers like cost and accessibility, offering guided meditations, stress-relief tools and mental health support right from their phones — because educators need support too, especially when they’re on the frontlines of student well-being.
Mental Health Matters Jax is a city-backed initiative aimed at breaking the stigma around mental health while making services more accessible across Jacksonville. It’s about more than just awareness — it’s pushing for real, on-the-ground change through education, community events and support programs. The initiative connects residents with resources, shines a light on the gaps in care, and works to build a more informed, compassionate approach to mental health throughout the city.
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