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Kentucky Value:
Number of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists and advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health care per 100,000 population
Kentucky Rank:
Number of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists and advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health care per 100,000 population
822.0 - 502.0
501.9 - 394.8
394.7 - 321.9
321.8 - 251.1
251.0 - 162.9
US Value: 362.6
Top State(s): Alaska: 822.0
Bottom State(s): Alabama: 162.9
Definition: Number of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists and advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health care per 100,000 population
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, September 2025
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Mental health providers offer essential care to adults and children with mental or behavioral disorders through assessments, diagnoses, treatments, medications and therapeutic interventions. The mental health workforce includes a broad array of professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, professionals treating alcohol and other substance abuse issues, and advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health care.
According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, more than 1 in 5 Americans experienced a mental illness (not including substance abuse disorders) in 2022. However, in 2024, only 52% of adults with mental illness and 71% of adults with severe mental illness reported receiving treatment in the past year. An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 26.4% of mental health care needs were met in 2024, and more than 122 million Americans were living in areas with a shortage of mental health care professionals.
Populations with limited access to mental health care include:
Strategies to cope with shortages and bolster the number of mental health professionals include:
Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to mental health, including:
Butryn, Tracy, Leah Bryant, Christine Marchionni, and Farhad Sholevar. “The Shortage of Psychiatrists and Other Mental Health Providers: Causes, Current State, and Potential Solutions.” International Journal of Academic Medicine 3, no. 1 (2017): 5–9. https://journals.lww.com/ijam/Fulltext/2017/03010/The_shortage_of_psychiatrists_and_other_mental.2.aspx.
Cummings, Janet R., Lindsay Allen, Julie Clennon, Xu Ji, and Benjamin G. Druss. “Geographic Access to Specialty Mental Health Care Across High- and Low-Income US Communities.” JAMA Psychiatry 74, no. 5 (May 1, 2017): 476. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0303.
Kolko, David J., John Campo, Amy M. Kilbourne, Jonathan Hart, Dara Sakolsky, and Stephen Wisniewski. “Collaborative Care Outcomes for Pediatric Behavioral Health Problems: A Cluster Randomized Trial.” Pediatrics 133, no. 4 (April 1, 2014): e981–92. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-2516.
McBain, Ryan K., Megan S. Schuler, Nabeel Qureshi, Samantha Matthews, Aaron Kofner, Joshua Breslau, and Jonathan H. Cantor. “Expansion of Telehealth Availability for Mental Health Care After State-Level Policy Changes From 2019 to 2022.” JAMA Network Open 6, no. 6 (June 13, 2023): e2318045. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.18045.
Modi, Hemangi, Kendal Orgera, and Atul Grover. Exploring Barriers to Mental Health Care in the U.S. Issue Brief. Washington, D.C.: AAMC Research and Action Institute, October 10, 2022. https://doi.org/10.15766/rai_a3ewcf9p.
National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The Psychiatric Shortage: Causes and Solutions. Medical Director Institute, March 1, 2018. https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Revised-Final-Access-Paper.pdf.
So, Marvin, Russell F. McCord, and Jennifer W. Kaminski. “Policy Levers to Promote Access to and Utilization of Children’s Mental Health Services: A Systematic Review.” Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 46, no. 3 (May 2019): 334–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-018-00916-9.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
