When considering how Georgia cares for its roughly 1.4 million mentally ill residents, think about these numbers:

Mental health professionals

Georgia

One for every 1,440 people

Massachusetts

One for every 248 people

Per capita spending by mental health agencies

  • Maine: $345
  • Alaska: $341
  • District of Columbia: $307
  • Vermont: $292
  • Georgia: $59
  • National average: $120

Percentage receiving care

Vermont

% of mentally ill residents receiving treatment:
57.1% (54,000)
Rank: No.1

Georgia

% of mentally ill residents receiving treatment:
34.8% (424,000)
Rank: No.48

Tens of thousands of people in Georgia remain uninsured and suffer from untreated mental illnesses — such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia — so severe they can't function in day-to-day life.

Find out why Georgia ranks so low when it comes to mental health treatment. See our special presentation at MyAJC.com and view a video of a woman whose son suffered from severe depression.

About the Author

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez