Today is World Mental Health Day.
A new report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council shows people who live in rural counties have the highest rate of hospitalizations for mental illness in the state.
The findings suggest that it may be the lack of available mental health care providers, leading to people not seeking treatment until their decline reaches a crisis point.
The state’s overall rate of mental health hospitalizations is 88.8 per 100,000 residents. Jefferson County has the second-highest rate in the state at 137.5. Clearfield County’s rate is 130.8 and Indiana County’s rate is much lower at 87.3 per 100,000 residents.
