Kansas City, Kansas Therapists

An Overview of Mental Health in Kansas City, Kansas

While it is just two miles from the city of the same name in Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas is a major city in its own right. As of July 2017, Kansas City, Kansas has a population of approximately 152,938 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city grew by nearly five percent in just seven years, according to the Census.

According to the “Understanding the Mental Health System in Kansas” report published by the Kansas Health Institute in 2017, the face of mental health care has changed dramatically in the state in recent decades. Before the Kansas Mental Health Reform Act was passed in 1990, the state had a greater inpatient mental health treatment focus. Now, state and private funders more widely recognize that many people with mental illnesses can be treated outside of institutional or hospital settings. Approximately 75% of Kansas residents with mental illnesses are treated within the community now, as opposed to 18% in 1990.

However, access to mental health care in and around Kansas City, Kansas can still be a challenge — Mental Health America reported in 2014 that more than 50% of children and adults with conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia go without treatment.

Poverty and Mental Illness in Kansas City, Kansas

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty level in Kansas City, Kansas is 23.7% — which is virtually twice the Kansas average of 11.9% and close to double the U.S. average of 12.3%. The annual per capita income level for Kansas City, Kansas is $18,930, again significantly lower than the Kansas and national averages of $28,478 and $29,829 (respectively).

It is difficult to pinpoint why a growing area such as Kansas City, Kansas has such a high level of poverty — but according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), poverty worsens the symptoms of serious mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Poverty also makes it more probable that a person will experience a serious mental illness. Finally, anyone who has a mental health condition such as depression or schizophrenia is more likely to end up living in poverty after symptoms begin to appear. This applies to people of all education levels and professions.

Mental Health Statistics for Kansas City, Kansas

According to SAMHSA’s Kansas Behavioral Health Barometer for 2015, the state has mental illness prevalence rates that are close to the national average. Kansas’ percentage of major depressive episodes among children ages 12-17 in 2013-2014 was 11.3% — just .3% higher than the U.S. average of 11% for the same period. Kansas’ average for serious mental illnesses among adults in 2013-2014 was 4.1% — virtually identical to the national average of 4.2%.

Mental Health Resources for Kansas City, Kansas

According to a SAMHSA online search engine, there are five providers of inpatient and outpatient mental health services for children and adults in Kansas City, Kansas. There are 27 additional options within a 15-mile radius of Kansas City, Kansas. Most are in Kansas City, Missouri. There is one provider in Mission, Kansas (approximately seven miles away) and three providers in Overland Park, Kansas (approximately nine miles away).

Kansas City, Kansas has 10 facilities that focus on substance abuse treatment. Some providers also offer programs for people with dual diagnoses (a dual diagnosis is when someone has a mental illness as well as an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol).

While Missouri communities such as Kansas City and Independence are a short distance from Kansas City, Kansas, it is important to remember that some health insurance companies will not cover out-of-state treatment unless it is an emergency situation.

Some of the inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services available in Kansas City, Kansas and surrounding Kansas and Missouri cities offer low-cost or free treatment to people with low income and/or no insurance.

Challenges of Finding a Suitable Therapist in Kansas City, Kansas

This website is dedicated to helping people in Kansas City, Kansas and every other U.S. city find the best mental health treatment available.

While your employer or health insurer likely has a referral service, you are likely to end up frustrated after hours of completing rather personal forms. More often than not, providers recommended by your employer or health insurer have few or no appointments.