New York has climbed to No. 1 in Mental Health America’s “State of Mental Health in America” report, which analyzed 17 measures using 2022–2023 data, the period when Gov. Kathy Hochul launched a $1 billion overhaul of the state’s behavioral-health system. The state advanced from No. 8 (2023) to No. 4 (2024) and now leads both overall and in adult rankings, driven by gains in reducing youth suicidal ideation, lowering major depressive episodes among youth, and shrinking the share of uninsured adults with mental illness.
New York added 985 psychiatric beds, expanded state-operated capacity, funded 39 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics that have served 77,000-plus people in 2025, scaled Critical Time Intervention and INSET teams, grew ACT and Youth ACT teams, and increased specialized housing and school-based clinics. Albany also advanced youth protections—with distraction-free K–12 classrooms, the Safe for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act—positioning the state as a national model for accessible, community-based mental-health care.
Governor Hochul Highlights State’s Ranking as National Leader in Mental Health
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State has been recognized as a national leader in mental health based on a new report compiled with publicly available federal data. ‘The State of Mental Health in America’ ranked New York number one nationally when analyzing data from 17 common mental health measures using the data gathered in 2022 and 2023 – the year Governor Hochul launched her multi-billion-dollar investment to strengthen the state’s system of care.
“These findings demonstrate that we remain on the right track in our concerted efforts to address the mental health crisis among children and adults,” Governor Hochul said. “While our work is far from finished, New York has become a national model when it comes to providing a range of support, care and treatment that residents need. By strengthening our mental health care system, we are giving people and families renewed hope and helping them onto the path to recovery so they can live and thrive in their communities.”
New York’s combined scores in 17 categories ranked the state first nationally in the report, which is compiled annually by Mental Health America, a leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health. Previously, the state was ranked fourth in the nation in 2024 and eighth in 2023.
The measures that had the largest effect on New York’s overall ranking were the state’s percentage of youth with serious thoughts of suicide; youth with a major depressive episode in the past year; and uninsured adults living with mental illness. Aside from being ranked first overall, New York also topped all other states in the report’s adult rankings, which include eight measures gauging the prevalence of mental illness and access to care among individuals over the age of 18.
The data considered in the report coincide with the launch of Governor Hochul’s landmark initiative into strengthening New York State’s mental health care system. Her $1 billion plan in FY 2024 and investments made in subsequent budgets doubled down on improvements in suicide prevention, youth services, and other areas highlighted in the report.
From adding inpatient capacity to dramatically expanding outpatient programs to creating thousands of new units of specialized housing and more, the state has taken bold measures to ensure all New Yorkers have access to these critical services — especially those individuals and families from previously underserved populations. Governor Hochul has particularly committed to improving youth mental health, as evidenced by her legislative initiatives to address the harmful impacts of social media and to eliminate the use of smartphones by students in K-12 public schools.
New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “The Mental Health in America report reflects the bold commitment Governor Hochul has made into mental health and the fantastic work that our state and provider workforce have undertaken to dramatically expand access to high-quality care. We are proud partners together and look forward to continuing as both an innovator and a national leader in mental health care.”
Since Governor Hochul took office, New York State has added 985 psychiatric beds, including 610 beds that were brought back online at community-based hospitals. The Governor has also overseen the largest expansion of inpatient capacity at state-operated psychiatric centers, adding 375 new beds and 275 others in development.
New York State now funds 39 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which make it easier for New Yorkers to get into treatment and can help them avoid unnecessary hospital visits. These clinics provide mental health and substance use disorder services to anyone who walks in the door –regardless of whether they have insurance –and have served more than 77,000 recipients so far in 2025.
OMH is also establishing 50 Critical Time Intervention teams in all areas of the state to provide care management services and support to help individuals during transitions in care, such as leaving inpatient settings. With the first 36 now funded, these teams will have the capacity to serve 3,630 New Yorkers.
The state is also expanding Intensive and Sustained Engagement or ‘INSET’ teams, a voluntary, peer-led engagement approach to support individuals on their recovery journey at times and places that are convenient to them. OMH now funds five teams –including one focusing on the forensic population –operating in New York City, the Rochester area, Westchester, and on Long Island, with the capacity to collectively serve more than 300 individuals.
The state has also aggressively expanded the Safe Options Support program, which has now helped permanently house 1,407 individuals, including nearly 180 in OMH-licensed housing. With the first teams launched in Spring 2022, the SOS program now has 31 teams, including ones canvassing all five boroughs of New York City, both counties on Long Island, and 19 additional counties across the state.
New York State has also made regulatory changes to improve mental health, adopting new hospital admission and discharge regulations to provide a clear path toward ensuring the quality of care given to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and that thoughtful plans are crafted to connect those leaving emergency and inpatient care with community-based support. CTI teams are now in place to connect with individuals leaving inpatient care and ensure that their immediate needs are met and that they remain connected to community support.
The state also adopted new network adequacy regulations to ensure New Yorkers with qualifying health insurance plans are provided timely access to critical behavioral health care. These changes are providing important consumer protections, including a requirement that plans post up-to-date and accurate lists of in-network providers on their websites, which will help to eliminate inaccurate or misleading directories.
OMH has also aggressively expanded specialized housing, including 1,276 new units associated with Governor Hochul’s mental health initiative, with an additional 2,224 housing units that are under development. The units under development include community residence-single room occupancy units, supportive housing-single room occupancy units and short term transitional residential units –all designed to help New Yorkers living with mental illness to reside safely within their community.
OMH has also expanded its Assertive Community Treatment or ‘ACT’ program, which now operates 112 teams with 30 additional ones in development, and the capacity to provide services to 9,584 individuals living with mental illness. These teams provide coverage in all counties statewide, allowing these New Yorkers to receive treatment within their community rather than more restrictive hospital settings.
Governor Hochul also made a nation-leading commitment to protect youth mental health and promote student success in the digital age. As part of the FY 2026 State Budget, she secured a landmark agreement to create a statewide standard for distraction-free schools and eliminate smartphone use in all K-12 classrooms.
In addition, Governor Hochul signed into law the Safe for Kids Act last year, requiring social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. She also signed the New York Child Data Protection Act, prohibiting online sites and connected devices from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.
Governor Hochul’s focus on youth mental health also led to the creation of 10 new Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams to support young people with serious emotional disturbances who are either at risk of entering, or are returning home from high intensity services, such as inpatient settings or residential services. Youth ACT teams now total 20 –with 19 in development –and will operate in 31 counties, providing youth and family therapy, medication management, family and peer support, and skill-building.
Governor Hochul also expanded school-based mental health clinics, which help students get a licensed mental health care provider in a familiar stigma-free setting on their school campus. Since funding this expansion last year, the state has added 255 new clinic satellites — including 84 in high-needs districts —to 1,265 that now exist statewide.
New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Many individuals affected by mental health disorders are also impacted by co-occurring substance use disorders. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York has made great strides in expanding services across the state for all aspects of behavioral health, helping thousands of New Yorkers access the help and support that they need. This report is great recognition of the strides we are making, and we look forward to collaborating with our partners on continued expansions to these services as we build a healthier New York State for all.”
State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “As Chair of the Senate Mental Health Committee, I am proud to see that New York State has been ranked as a leader in the “State of Mental Health in America” report. This is further evidence that voluntary services, such as INSET teams, Critical Time Intervention teams; Safe Options Support programs, and other impactful programs have the power to help individuals with serious mental health needs. By continuing this momentum and investing in Daniel’s Law funding, we can reach more individuals experiencing mental health crises and keep our communities safe. I applaud Governor Hochul for investing in mental health initiatives in New York State to ensure that our residents receive the care they deserve.”
Assemblymember JoAnn Simon said, “It’s great to see New York recognized as a national leader in mental health, reflecting the progress we have made investing in our families and communities and expanding care. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul to expand these investments and build on this momentum to ensure that every New Yorker can get the help they need, when they need it.”
Mental Health Association of New York Chief Executive Officer Glenn Liebman said, “Our national organization, Mental Health America, confirms what we already know –that New York State is a leader in mental health services and support. Under Governor Hochul and Commissioner Sullivan’s leadership, New York leads the way in school and teen mental health, prevention, crisis services, innovative programming, suicide prevention and mental health parity. While there is always more that needs to be done, we are very lucky in New York to have the commitment, leadership, and vision to make life better for those with mental health issues and their loved ones.”
October 3, 2025
Albany, NY
Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
Midtown Tribune news
