Mental health statistics in Georgia indicate that many residents aren’t getting the treatment that could significantly improve their lives.
The Value of Mental Health Statistics in Georgia
For community leaders and public health experts in Georgia, mental health statistics can be a valuable tool for identifying areas of need and highlighting particularly vulnerable populations.
For individuals and families, the data can help them break through the sense of shame and isolation that many people unfortunately experience when they or someone they love are diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
Though statistics have great value, it’s important to understand that they don’t paint a complete picture.
For example:
- It’s impossible to accurately capture the full impact of mental illness through data alone.
- Circumstances can sometimes change in the time it takes to collect a statistically significant amount of information, thoroughly analyze that info, and publish the results.
- The accuracy and relevance of statistics can vary depending on when and how the initial data was collected, how it was analyzed, and who is interpreting the results.
Even with those caveats in mind, there is little doubt that mental health statistics in Georgia have a great deal to tell us about psychological well-being and access to treatment throughout the state.
Georgia Mental Health Statistics
According to a May 2025 report from NAMI Georgia, 1,836,000 adults in Georgia have some type of mental health condition. This represents an increase of almost 31% from July 2023, when the organization reported that 1,405,000 adults in the state had a mental illness.
Additional information from NAMI Georgia’s 2025 report include:
- 475,000 adults in Georgia have a serious mental illness (SMI). The SMI category includes disorders that have a significant negative impact on a person’s ability to function, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
- Among the unhoused population in Georgia, the rate of serious mental illness is about 17%.
- About 1 of every 20 adults in Georgia, or about 5% of the population ages 18 and above, had serious thoughts of suicide in the previous 12 months.
NAMI Georgia also reported the following about adolescent mental health in 2025:
- 159,000 young people in Georgia had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
- 113,000 adolescents in the state had serious thoughts of suicide in the previous 12 months.
- 18% of young people ages 17 and under (or nearly 1 of every 5 in that age range) have had at least two adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Having a history of multiple ACEs can increase a person’s risk of several mental illnesses, as well as substance abuse and addiction.
NAMI Georgia’s data also indicated that there is a pressing need for more mental health treatment and support services throughout the state:
- More than 5 million Georgians live in communities that do not have an adequate number of mental health treatment professionals.
- In Georgia public schools (grades K-12), there is an average of 1 school psychologist for every 2,077 students. The recommended ratio is 1:500.
- In 2018-2019, 475,000 adults in Georgia said they needed, but did not get, mental health treatment.
- In 2023, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline centers in Georgia received 74,356 calls.
How Do Mental Health Statistics in Georgia Compare to Other States?
In 2025, Mental Health America (MHA) issued a report titled The State of Mental Health in America. This report included national averages and state rankings in several areas, including the prevalence of mental health concerns and addictions among adults and youth, access to insurance, and barriers to treatment.
Nationwide information in that report includes:
- 23.4% of adults in the U.S. (or more than 60 million people ages 18 and above) had a mental illness in the past year.
- 17.7% of adults had a substance use disorder (addiction) in the past year.
- 5.5% of adults said they had experienced serious thoughts of suicide in the previous 12 months.
- 15.4% of adolescents ages 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. That represented a decline from 2024, when 18.1% of adolescents reported past-year major depressive episodes.
- 10.1% of young people said they’d had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.
Here’s a quick look at how Georgia mental health statistics measured up against other states and the District of Columbia:
- MHA ranked Georgia 37th out of 51 overall. The overall ranking reflected 17 measures related to the prevalence of mental illnesses and access to treatment in each state.
- Georgia placed 8th for prevalence of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. In this ranking, higher placement reflected lower rates of mental health disorders and addictions.
- In terms of access to treatment, Georgia ranked 46th. MHA reported that lower-ranked states provided “relatively less access to insurance and mental health care” than higher-ranked ones did.
Mental Health Resources in Georgia
If you are seeking support for a mental illness or substance use disorder in Georgia, the following resources may be helpful:
- Georgia Department of Community Health
- Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
- Georgia Department of Human Services
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in Georgia
- Georgia Al-Anon and Alateen
- SMART Recovery meeting finder
- NAMI Georgia
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free service that offers 24/7 access to trained professionals who can talk to you about your problems and, if needed, connect you with appropriate resources in your area.
Outpatient Mental Health Treatment in Atlanta
Valor Behavioral Health offers personalized outpatient care for adults and adolescents whose lives have been impacted by mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Treatment options at our center in Atlanta, GA, include:
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
