Therapists in Tucson, AZ and Nearby Locations

Mental Health Resources in Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona is the 33^rd largest city in the United States. It is located about 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and is just 60 miles north of the US-Mexico border. It is surrounded by 5 different mountain ranges and is home to the University of Arizona.

Like many cities in the Southwest, Tucson has a much lower median household income than most of the country. This is one of the reasons that stress and depression may be higher than in other parts of the US.

Although the state administration has put programs into place to increase mental health resources for its residents, access to mental health is still a major problem in Tucson. All people must have the information necessary to find help for their mental health issues. That is why e-counseling is working hard to create a directory that can help guide those in need.

Mental Health Statistics for Tucson

In 2011, the rate of adults with serious mental health issues in Tucson was about 20% higher than in the rest of the country. This trend is on the upswing over the last ten years, with both Arizona and the national average leveling off at about 4%. This amounted to over 200,000 residents per year having a serious mental illness.

The scary statistic in Arizona is that of untreated mental illnesses. Almost 60% of all people with a serious mental illness were not able to receive treatment in 2014. An important correlation is between mental illness and employment. Of those who reported having a serious mental illness, only about 15% were employed. This clearly shows that people who aren’t employed do not have the money or insurance to seek mental health treatment.

Impact of Not Receiving Treatment in Tucson, Arizona

Arizona is one of the worst states when it comes to mental health treatment. It ranks 50 out of 51 in the United States, even behind Puerto Rico. Not receiving mental health treatment can lead to many issues for those suffering and the community:

• Joblessness
• Homelessness
• Substance abuse
• Alcoholism
• Suicide
• Domestic violence

In Arizona, the biggest roadblocks to receiving mental health care are financial and available providers. People simply do not have the money to afford counseling or psychiatric treatment. Even if they did, with the high shortage of mental health resources, it is almost impossible to get an appointment with a mental health professional in Tucson.

This lack of resources and a high percentage of untreated cases of mental health issues creates a vicious cycle. Each year, more cases go untreated and we know mental health disorders can cause things like unemployment and homelessness. These conditions make it even harder to afford and access mental health care.

What Makes Tucson Unique When it Comes to Mental Health?

Tucson is like every other major city when it comes to mental health. However, certain things make it more likely to suffer from mental illness in Tucson, Arizona:

• Climate: Unlike many other southwestern cities, Tucson is wetter and cooler than the rest of the state. This is because of its higher elevation. So not only does it have hot muggy summers, but it can have cold winters as well.
• College town: College towns tend to have a higher amount of substance abuse issues. They also experience a high rate of mental health issues for younger people.
• Unemployment Rate: Tucson’s unemployment rate is 4.6%, a bit higher than the rest of the state and a lot higher than cities such as Flagstaff and Scottsdale,
• Socioeconomic Factors: Tucson has a very low median household income of about $46,000 (this amount is even lower in the inner city at about $35,000.) Tucson’s median income is 16% lower than the rest of the country. When compared to the other major cities in the western part of the country, the only city with a lower income is El Paso.

Divorce Rate in Tucson

Tucson’s divorce rate has jumped from 4.5% in 1970 to over 14% today. This is one of the greatest increases in the country. However, there is a great proportion of Tucson that has never been married. This means that not only do people in Tucson choose not to get married, but when they do, many times these marriages end in divorce.

One reason for this is that people in Tucson have a hard time finding mental health counseling when they have a serious mental illness. You can only imagine how hard it is to get an appointment for something like marital or couples counseling. That is why E-counseling wants to make it easier for people to have access to mental health resources.

Mental Health Resources in Tucson

Arizona has the second worst mental health program in the United States. Only Oregon is ranked lower for access to mental health services. Ironically, if you are poor, access to mental health care in Arizona is not that difficult. This is because of the state programs for indigent people. However, if you are not indigent, your chances of having access to mental health services are not good at all.

Arizona has mental health shortages in more than 100 different areas. Studies have shown that there is on average only 1 psychiatrist available for every 30,000 residents in Arizona.