According to Mental Health America, Oregon ranks 50 overall for the prevalence of mental illness and access to care. This ranking is just shy of the top spot which indicates highest prevalence of mental illness and low access to care. This ranking is made up of 15 different measures, including all age ranges, substance abuse, different mental health conditions as well as how available care is and whether or not individuals have health insurance into account in order to rank each state.
According to SAMHSA, Oregon has a population of approximately 3.9 million people; in which 4.6% of adults in Oregon live with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Mental health officials in Oregon understand just how serious the situation is, citing the lack of available clinicians as just one of the major contributing factors in many patients not receiving the care they need. Another contributing factor unique to Oregon one of the highest rates of homelessness which is often intertwined with the prevalence of mental illness.